Mars Rising
by ladyrip
Summary: Five years after Renesmee's birth, the Cullens are leaving Forks, WA. Nessie plans to experience life as normally as possible. She is attracted to a man with a troubled past. Will she choose life with a human or see what's been in front of her all along?
1. Transition

Chapter 1

Transition

I was going to miss Forks, Washington.

More specifically, I was going to miss this cottage, the big white house, and the forests around them. I had lived here all of my very short life. I rarely left the house anymore except to hunt in the woods with my best friend, Jacob Black, or one of my family members. Sometimes I would go with my aunts, Alice and Rosalie, to one of the big cities for a shopping trip. My parents and I used to go to Grandpa Charlie's house, but now that was only on the occasional evening—usually a holiday. Most of the times I saw him now were at the Black's house on the Quileute reservation, La Push. But even that didn't happen very often. Charlie wasn't exactly comfortable with my accelerated aging. He knew that I was _special_, but he didn't know the truth. It was better that way.

It was better that no one in Forks knew the truth—or much at all—about me.

Even though I had only been alive for five years, I looked like I was at least three times that age. And my family often said that I acted as if I thought I was even older. This opinion was usually expressed in tones of exasperation.

The official story—whenever people thought to ask—was that Edward Cullen was my legal guardian and that he and his new wife, Bella, had adopted me after Edward's older brother and sister-in-law, my parents, had died in a car accident.

Since the Cullens usually kept to themselves anyway, no one seemed to think it unusual that I was never seen in town…nor did I go to school. And no one seemed to know exactly how old I was supposed to be.

The truth was that my biological father, Edward Cullen, was a vampire and had been for a nearly a century. My biological mother, Isabella Swan Cullen, was also a vampire, although she had only been one for the last five years. She had still been human when I was born, and my birth had almost killed her. It was only my father's pre-planning and quick actions that had saved her—saved us both, really.

By some freak accident, the placenta had detached, and I had started to suffocate. To save me, my father had cut me out of her womb with his razor-sharp teeth. While my mother's best friend, Jacob, kept her lungs breathing and her heart beating with CPR, my father had injected as much venom as he could directly into my mother's heart, and then he had spread venomous bites all over her to help her body make the transition even faster. Although I only remembered seeing my mother's broken body and radiant smile before I was given into Aunt Rosalie's care, I had heard the story before.

So I was half human and half vampire. I had a heartbeat and chocolate brown eyes, like my mother before she was changed; I also had super-tough skin and razor-sharp teeth, like all the rest of my vampire family. I was stronger than the average human, I could run faster and jump higher and farther than any normal human, and I ate my meat raw—usually freshly killed by me. I could eat normal human food if I had to, but I didn't really like the taste of any of it.

In addition to all of these extraordinary qualities, my body had aged approximately three years for every human year I had lived.

This is why I didn't venture into the tiny town of Forks more often than absolutely necessary. The cardinal rule in the world of vampires was: _keep the secret._ If any of the humans there recognized me and noticed how rapidly I was growing, there would undoubtedly be questions. And the answers to those questions would lead to the mandatory death or vampirization of anyone who discovered them.

Apparently I wouldn't have to worry about that now, though, because we were leaving.

Carlisle, my grandfather for all intents and purposes, had called a family meeting in the dining room last night. We never used that room for its intended purpose, but my family believed in keeping up appearances which meant having all the right props. The dining room was used primarily as a conference room. Everyone gathered around the big antique table when necessary and discussed the issues that would affect us all.

Last night, Carlisle had called us all together to tell us about an issue he and Esme had talked about during their last hunt. Recently, some of the doctors and nurses at the Forks Hospital where Carlisle worked as a doctor had begun to speculate about the devastatingly handsome and impossibly youthful Dr. Cullen. Some of them were wondering why he never seemed to age, even though he had worked with them for the last seven or eight years. He claimed to be thirty-six, but he looked more like twenty-six. And people were starting to talk.

It seemed it was time for the Cullen family to move on.

To tell the truth, it had been time for them to move on after I was born. I knew that they had planned to move to New Hampshire after the wedding where my parents would go to Dartmouth for a semester before my mother became a vampire. But she had become pregnant on their honeymoon, something no one had expected—or even thought possible. She had become so deathly ill that we had both nearly died before Jacob had the brilliant, if sarcastic, idea that I—"the fetus"—was actually _thirsty_, not hungry. Drinking donated human blood had given us both the strength we needed to survive that unlikeliest of pregnancies.

And after I had been born and my mother had been changed into a vampire, they had planned to leave because Charlie couldn't find out the truth about my mother. Not to mention that she had expected to be a typical, blood-crazed newborn for a few years before she would be safe enough to be around humans. Luckily for all of us, Jacob had taken a huge risk and prepared Charlie to see my mother—who had a remarkable ability to resist the smell of human blood—by showing Charlie his other self…the giant russet wolf who often hunted in the woods with me. Because of Jacob's gutsy move and Charlie's insistence that he only be told the facts on a _need to know_ basis, we had been able to stay around for the last five years, and I had gotten to know my grandfather.

But now that was all coming to an end.

I knew that Charlie would be able to handle it still, even if his eyes nearly popped out of his head every time he saw me because I had grown and matured so much since my last visit. But the good people of Forks seemed to be unable to handle the extraordinary situation anymore.

The discussion had been a short one. No one had protested too vehemently. They all knew that we had been living in Forks on borrowed time.

I paused in my packing, remembering the conversation clearly…

"So it's time to move on," Rosalie had whispered when Carlisle finished explaining the situation at the hospital.

"We think it's for the best," Carlisle confirmed.

No one spoke for a few seconds.

Then my mother asked, "So where should we go?"

My father looked at Aunt Alice whose fingers seemed to be trying to shove their way under the marble skin at her temples. I knew Daddy was trying to listen to Aunt Alice's thoughts as she looked into the future. I wasn't really interested in where. Since I had never been outside of Washington, I really didn't have a preference.

My only concern was Jacob.

I looked at him where he sat beside me. He looked stunned, as if someone had hit him in the stomach with a two-by-four.

I reached out to touch his hand. I showed him a picture of himself with me and my family on the road. I was sure he would read the question in my tone.

I knew he had a job and other responsibilities in La Push, especially as the Alpha of the second wolf pack on the reservation, but he was my best friend, and I had never been away from him for more than a day or two. I couldn't imagine moving away and not being able to see him whenever I wanted to or not being able to hunt with him. Jacob always made everything fun.

He looked back at me, and I could see the conflict raging in his eyes. It seemed that he wanted to join us as much as I wanted him to, but he was wondering if he could really just pick up and leave.

"I don't—" he started to say when Aunt Alice suddenly growled.

"I can't _see_!" she hissed.

I looked up to see Uncle Jasper rubbing her shoulders. I knew he was enhancing the calming feeling he was projecting toward her with his touch. She was always frustrated by trying to see any future that included half-breeds. Over the years of increased familiarity, she had become more able to see me, although I was still only a fuzzy blur in her _sight_. It was the wolves who made the future completely disappear.

Her inability to _see_ seemed like good news for me.

"You're coming with us, Jake?" my mother asked, interpreting Aunt Alice's frustration and echoing my thoughts. It was not an invitation but an acceptance of the inevitable.

Jacob didn't say anything for a moment. "I guess I have some loose ends to tie up," he said. He sounded almost bewildered. He looked at me then back at my parents. "How soon?"

"A week," my father answered, looking at Carlisle who nodded. "You've already given your notice," he added without accusation. Again Carlisle nodded.

Aunt Alice pushed Uncle Jasper's hand off her shoulders and stood up in one fluid movement. Before I could blink, she was through the door calling out in a peevish tone, "Let me know when you decide where we're going."

I smiled at Jake who still looked stunned. I was still touching his hand, and I showed him the same picture, this time laced with my satisfaction. It wouldn't be so bad to move as long as he was coming, too.

He smiled back at me, but it didn't reach his eyes. He was really worried about something. I would have to get him alone and talk to him soon. I didn't understand why he was so upset.

Just then my father caught my eye and shook his head quickly. What was _that_ supposed to mean? I reviewed my last thoughts and decided that he was trying to tell me not to question Jake about his reaction. Hmm. That made me even more curious…

It turned out that my father's warning wasn't really necessary. I hadn't been able to talk privately with Jacob at all. He had gone back to La Push after the discussion concluded. He hugged me briefly and kissed the top of my head before heading for the door, mumbling something about telling his father and meeting up with Sam, the Alpha of the first pack.

So now here I was, the next day, packing up my books and photos while Jake tied up his loose ends. Emmett, Rosalie, and Esme had gone ahead to find a new home while the rest of us packed up the necessary belongings that we would all take with us and closed up the house and cottage for the next… how many years? I wondered if we would ever come back to Forks… to this house. I hoped so.

I hoped that Jake would finish making his arrangements quickly so I could talk to him. Now that the initial discussion was past, I was starting to feel a little apprehensive. Even though I knew I would be surrounded by my family, I wondered how we would fit into our new home. Would I be allowed to mix with the locals who didn't know anything of my family's history? My aging seemed to be slowing down, and I knew from the stories of Nahuel and his sisters—the only other half human-half vampires we knew of—that I would be fully grown in another year or two. Judging from the way Nahuel looked, my body would freeze at something resembling a twenty-one-year-old. I would look that age—older than my parents looked—forever.

Would I finally be able to join the real world?

This was another reason why I wanted—no, _needed_—to talk to Jacob. He wasn't just my best friend; he was also my confidant. I could talk to him about anything, and he always seemed to understand. He was always there for me, no matter what. I was glad I wouldn't be losing that in this upheaval of everything I knew. At least he would still be with us…with _me_.

5


	2. Goodbyes

Chapter 2

Goodbyes

It was late at night when Momma, Daddy, and I pulled up in front of Grandpa Charlie's house.

We were leaving in four days, and my parents had decided that it was time to let my grandfather know. I knew he would miss us terribly, and we would miss him, too. My mother and I were the only family he had left.

All the way over in the car, Momma's breathing had sounded funny. She couldn't seem to catch her breath, which was kind of odd because she didn't actually _need_ to breathe. It was almost as if she were choking on something. I caught a glimpse of her face in the rear-view mirror; her eyes looked kind of tight, and she kept blinking them. It reminded me of the time when Aunt Alice and Uncle Jasper had left us to hunt down Nahuel—even though they hadn't known who they were looking for—and Momma had been so sad. I was certain that if she were still human, tears would be streaming down her pale cheeks.

Daddy squeezed her hand, and she gave him a quick half smile.

Grandpa came out on the porch, a huge smile on his face, even before Daddy had turned the key in the ignition. Obviously, Momma had not told him _why_ we were coming to visit. Or that it would be our _last visit_ for a long time—maybe even forever.

From the stories my family sometimes told, I had gathered that once the Cullen family left a place it would be a whole generation before they came back. They were careful to make sure that no one who would remember them from the time before would still be around. If we couldn't come back to Forks until everyone Momma and Daddy had known at Forks High School was dead, we would surely never see Grandpa again—at least not at home.

Daddy came around the Volvo to open the doors for Momma and me. I stepped out and gave Grandpa a big hug and a peck on the cheek.

"Hey, Grandpa."

"Hi, Ness," he said, returning my embrace. "Look at you! You must've grown another foot since I saw you last."

That's how he always greeted me. And it was very nearly true, since we rarely saw him anymore.

He let me go and turned to give Momma a hug. I noticed that he still stiffened slightly whenever they embraced. I knew her cold, hard skin felt awkward to him. I also knew he still wondered about it—and other things about her that had changed—but he refused to ask for confirmation of whatever suspicions were running through his head.

I saw Daddy squeeze Momma's hand again as Grandpa released her and we all walked into the little house. She squeezed back and took a deep breath.

"So," Grandpa said bringing a chair from the kitchen into the living room. Daddy took the hard-backed chair and let Momma and me sit on the sofa. I sat nearest to Grandpa who was settling into his decrepit old recliner. "What's the occasion? Did I forget some holiday…in May?" He chuckled at his little joke.

Momma barely managed a smile while Daddy and I laughed weakly.

"No, Dad," Momma said softly. She took another deep breath and managed not to wince even though the burn in her throat had to be excruciating, being this close to a human. "We actually came to say goodbye."

Grandpa just stared at her, his mouth open wide, his eyes disbelieving.

I guess Momma and Daddy had decided it would be best just to get it out in the open right away. Never having been a very good liar, Momma probably couldn't have managed to make small talk for any length of time.

"What do you mean _g-goodbye_?" he finally stammered.

"We're moving, Charlie," Daddy said gently. "Most of the family is already gone, but Bella and Nessie wanted to spend a little more time with you before we join them."

Charlie just sat in his chair, staring at Momma. Her eyes were locked with his, as if she was trying to memorize every feature of his face. This was unnecessary; she already had every detail about him safely recorded in that fathomless vampire brain of hers.

After about thirty seconds, Momma finally blinked and looked away from him.

"Is it because of me?" he choked out.

"No!" Momma said, her voice ringing in its natural bell-like tone. I guess she was so startled by his conclusion that she forgot to modulate her voice to the lower tones she usually used around humans.

"It's time, Charlie," Daddy said, more calmly.

Yes, he could be calm about this. Although he knew what this was doing to Momma, and it killed him to have her hurting, he knew it was necessary and unavoidable.

"But—"

"I told you we couldn't stay forever, Dad."

"Yeah, but it's only been a couple of years…"

"It's been five years," Momma corrected.

Grandpa shot a glance at me and then looked at both of my parents. Really looked at them. He seemed to be deep in thought, and then he asked, "Does this have anything to do with the fact that Carlisle doesn't look like he's aged in the last eight years?"

We all knew that he wasn't really talking about Carlisle. I had seen pictures of my parents at the Prom during their junior year at Forks High School. That was two years after the Cullens had moved to Forks, the year my parents had met. Even though Momma looked like she had matured a year or two, Daddy still looked like he was only seventeen.

"Need to know," Daddy reminded my grandfather.

"Yeah, I know. But I _need_ to know," Grandpa insisted.

Momma looked at Daddy quickly, panic all over her face. I could almost hear the thoughts racing back and forth between them. Momma had probably lowered her shield so Daddy could hear her as she sometimes did when she wanted to have a private conversation with him. Daddy's eyes tightened, but he nodded once.

"It's related," he told Grandpa, "but that's all we can say."

Grandpa swallowed heavily and nodded slowly. Then he looked into Momma's eyes again and asked, "But you'll come back to visit, right?"

Momma hesitated.

"You promised," he said, pleading.

"I know, Dad," she whispered. "We'll visit when we can…but it won't be very often."

He took a deep breath and then let it out in a long sigh.

"I guess I knew this was coming," he said. His hand came up to his face, and I realized that he was wiping the tears away from his eyes. "When do you leave?" he whispered.

Momma made the funny choking noise again.

"In four days," Daddy answered for her. "We didn't want to spring it on you at the last second, but it was only decided three days ago."

Momma said, "But we can still see each other over the next few days…"

Grandpa nodded and tried to smile.

That night I lay in my bed in the cottage, listening to the rain on the roof… and my parents' soft voices in their room.

Momma was asking Daddy if this ever got any easier—leaving behind the people that you love.

Daddy didn't really know how to answer that. The only humans he had loved—his parents—had died before he became a vampire. Until he had met Momma, there hadn't ever been anyone else who he would be hurt to leave.

I thought about Jacob and how I would feel if he weren't going with us. I thought of him as my best friend and confidant, but he really was almost like a member of the family. Momma and Daddy treated him like a brother…did that make him my uncle? That was a strange thought.

I couldn't imagine not having him around to talk to and share things with. And I enjoyed hunting with him more than anyone else. Even though I had only known him for a few years, he was such a part of my life that it would probably feel like a part of myself had been ripped out if he weren't around anymore.

So I guess I could kind of understand how Momma felt. I knew that she had grown up in Phoenix with Renee—it was hard to think of her as Grandma since I had never actually met her—and only spent summers with Grandpa until her junior year when she decided to move to Forks so Renee could travel with Phil. But in those six short years, they had become close. Even though she had prepared herself for this, it still must be ripping her silent heart out to leave her father.

I drifted off to sleep thinking about Momma and Grandpa, but somehow Jacob ended up in my dream, too.

The next day, Jacob came back to the house to help us finish packing up. I was out on the back porch, soaking up the rays of the sun. The rain from the night before had disappeared, and it promised to be a bright warm day.

I smiled as I heard the soft rustle of leaves at the edge of the forest. As I sat up and looked toward the sound, I saw Jake pulling a frayed t-shirt over his waistband, and I launched myself off the porch. I ran just a couple of steps before hurling my body at him in a maneuver we had done so many times it felt like any normal greeting.

He caught me effortlessly, wrapping his arms around my waist and hugging me quickly before setting me down on my bare feet. He took my hand and held it up so my arm caught the light, shimmering just slightly.

"I don't think I'll ever get over that," he said, shaking his head. "At least it's not as bad as the regular blood-suckers," he added with a laugh.

I laughed with him, knowing he didn't use the term with any sense of rancor or insult.

"At least you can go out in public in the sun," he said, still holding my hand and starting to walk up to the house.

I squeezed his hand, showing him a picture of the two of us walking in the woods. "Let's go for a walk," I said out loud when he didn't turned back right away.

Finally he looked at me, his eyes boring into mine as if he were trying to see more than just the thoughts I was showing him.

5


	3. New Horizons

Thanks again to My Muse, EchoesOfTwilight, for all of her support, encouragement, and feedback.

And thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed. I hope all you lurkers are enjoying it as much as the people who have reviewed! Come out and talk to me!

Disclaimer: SM owns all the stuff you recognize. The stuff you don't is mine. No copyright infringement is intended.

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Chapter 3

New Horizons

When we arrived at the new house, all of our family was waiting to welcome us. Aunt Alice showed me to my new room. It was bigger than the one I'd had at the cottage, and it had a huge closet—stocked by my fashion-crazy aunt, of course.

I spent about an hour pouring through all the new outfits Aunt Alice had bought for me. I knew they would fit perfectly, but I wondered how long that would last. Lately I had really started to fill out in some noticeable places, and some of the clothes Aunt Alice had bought me were still kind of girlish.

When I had finished pawing my way through the closet, I turned toward the chest of drawers against the far wall, figuring that she had stocked that with all the socks and white underwear I could ever need. Just as I was about to open the top drawer, Aunt Alice peeked her head around the door frame.

"So, what do you think?" she asked.

"You know I'm going to outgrow all of that in a couple of months," I responded.

"I know," she said, perching on the edge of my bed. "Less than a couple, actually. You're finally filling out," she added.

I looked down at my chest. "I know," I echoed.

"Which is why," she said with a grin, "I bought you those." She pointed to the drawer where my hand rested. "Take a look."

I slid the drawer open and gasped. I know that nothing should surprise me where Aunt Alice and clothes are concerned, but I really wasn't expecting the drawer full of lacey bras and matching panties. I mean, it's not like anyone was going to see them other than me. Plain white would've been just fine. But nothing left up to Aunt Alice was plain. And I had to admit that I loved them.

I flew to the bed and hugged her tightly, voicing my thoughts about no one seeing them.

"Just because you're the only one who'll see them doesn't mean you shouldn't have pretty lingerie. I've always found that pretty clothes make people feel better about themselves." She smiled and squeezed me again. "You just enjoy them."

"Oh, I will," I assured her.

~ * ~

I skipped down the stairs and came to an abrupt halt when I reached the living room. Everyone was standing around, looking at each other. It felt like one of those moments when everyone stops talking because they were talking about me.

"What's going on?" I asked.

Momma held up a white envelope and reached her arm toward me.

I quirked an eyebrow at her, stepping forward to take the envelope. Quickly breaking the seal, I took out the contents. There were several official-looking documents and cards inside.

_Of course,_ I thought, remembering Momma's little trip to Seattle. She had visited J. Jenks the day after Carlisle had dropped his bomb into my world to arrange for all the necessary papers we would need to start over in our new lives. It appeared that she'd had him send the finished documents here since we left so quickly.

I flipped through the things in my hands, discovering a birth certificate, Social Security card, passport, and—a New York driver's license!

That was the one good thing in this whole, depressing mess. I finally had a driver's license—even though Jacob had taught me how to drive about a year ago. I had pleaded boredom on a sunny Saturday at La Push, and he had taken me out in his red Rabbit. I still couldn't understand why he had been so stunned that I had learned as quickly as I had. We had vowed to keep it a secret from my parents, but with a mindreader for a father… that was next to impossible. Momma and Daddy hadn't pitched _too_ big of a fit, although they refused to make me a legal driver until I looked a little older.

It seemed that I had aged enough now.

I glanced up at Momma to see a little smile lurking around her lips; it seemed a little sad around the edges. And it didn't quite reach her eyes.

I smiled back, excited to be holding my first driver's license. I looked down at it, then back up at Momma.

_Vanessa?_ I mouthed. The name on my license was _Vanessa Carlie Masen._

"Well, you have to admit that _Renesmee_ is not a common name," she said with a shrug.

"Yeah, but _Vanessa_?"

"Everyone calls you Nessie anyway," she explained, "so I thought Vanessa was close enough to make the nickname seem natural. Don't you like it?"

"Does anyone else have to change their name?" I asked, still stunned by this additional upheaval. Did _everything_ in my life have to change?

"Yes. Edward will be a Masen, too. You're to be brother and sister—since you look so much alike."

I grimaced. It still sounded strange for Momma to refer to Daddy by his name when she spoke to me. I would have to get used to it, though—especially if he was to be my brother.

"And what about you?" I asked.

"I'll be a Brandon, like Alice and Emmett," she answered. "Dr. and Mrs. Cullen have quite the collection of adopted children."

"So how old is Brother Dad supposed to be?" I asked.

Everyone chuckled.

"He and I are sixteen."

I glanced quickly at my license to check my own birthdate. My eyes popped, and I gasped.

"Edward is my _younger_ brother?!"

"Mm-hmm," Momma giggled.

"But—I—what?"

Momma shrugged and explained, "Even though you could pass for fifteen right now, in a few months you'll look like you're seventeen or eighteen. And before the school year is out, you'll look like you belong in college—maybe even as a sophomore. So—for the record—you've already graduated."

"Wow."

There just wasn't any other word for the situation.

"I know, baby. It seems strange to me, too. This is my first time reinventing myself, too, you know."

She was right. It was only five short years since Momma had become a vampire. In that time, she had virtually been in hiding—like me. People in Forks would recognize her—maybe. But they would have noticed how different she was. It had been better for her and Daddy to stay out of the public eye and pretend to be away at college in Alaska for the first four years. Now everyone believed that they had graduated and moved somewhere far away from Forks, Washington—some place warm and sunny.

I took a deep breath. "So…if I've graduated, why do I still live at home? Shouldn't I be away at college or something?"

Momma glanced at Daddy uncomfortably. "Ness, I'm just not ready—"

"It's okay," I said, crossing the room to give her a hug. "I don't want to leave you just yet, either." She took a deep breath and squeezed me tightly. "Um… ow."

"Oh, sorry, baby."

"It's okay," I said again. I looked down at my license again, and a new thought came to me. "So..." I held up the little plastic card. "Does a new car come with this?"

Grandma and Grandpa exchanged a glance, and she nodded at him. He stepped forward and said, "Well, as your parents—" that was going to take some getting used to "—we've decided to give you a car for your graduation present." He chuckled and held up a ring of keys. They looked old, without the black plastic handle so many new car keys had. And there was no automatic lock or trunk opener.

I raised my eyebrows and took the keys from him.

"It's out in the garage," he said.

So I ran.

I could feel them all on my heels, anxious for my reaction. All I can say is that it's a good thing they all had lightning fast reflexes because otherwise they all would've plowed into me when I stopped dead in the doorway.

There sat the perfect car. It was candy apple red with black block lettering, complete with the SS symbol. It was like something out of a dream. I was almost afraid to move… as if it would disappear if I did. I had never seen one up close… only on a computer screen.

"What year is it?" I was finally able to say.

Daddy laughed softly. "1987."

His voice broke me out of my trance, and I walked over to my 1987 Monte Carlo SS. I ran my hands lightly along the sides, reveling in the perfect, glossy red paint job. Peeking inside the open window, I saw that the interior was black with the SS symbol stitched in red to contrast the exterior. It was in pristine condition, and I wondered if it had been restored recently.

"How did you know—"

"I helped pick it out for you," Jake said from behind me.

_Where had he come from?_

I must've been so caught up in my car that I hadn't heard him approach. Even as quietly as he walked, I could usually hear him a few feet away.

I reached out my hand to him and touched his cheek when he came close enough. I thought back to the time he taught me to drive and showed him my memory…

_We were sitting in his Rabbit, parked on the side of the road that people used to get to the cliffs. I was looking out at the water, wondering if I could convince him to take me cliff diving when he spoke._

"_You know, you're gonna need a kick-ass car when they finally let you have your license."_

_I smiled. "Like what?"_

_He shrugged and smiled back. "I don't know. Your dad will probably want to get you something new and fancy… maybe Italian." He squinted at me and smirked. "I see you in something… classic."_

"_Like '50s classic?"_

_He laughed and shook his head. "No, not _that_ old. Maybe an '80s muscle car…"_

_A few days later, we were at home, surfing the Internet, looking at cars, trying to decide what I should get when the time came. We looked at Corvettes, Camaros, Mustangs, and every other muscle car that came out during that decade. But then the perfect car had popped up on the screen._

_I gasped and pointed excitedly to the computer monitor. Jake just smiled at me and scrolled through the pages of photos and write-ups._

"_So this is it?" he asked._

_I nodded, my eyes shining with excitement._

"_Why do you like this one?"_

_I couldn't exactly pinpoint why. "I don't know. I like the lines and the black and red color combo. And the SS symbol just looks wicked! I just love it!" I finished, unable to really explain myself._

_Jake laughed at me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "You've got good taste, Ness."_

"So you like it?" he asked now.

"It's perfect!"

I caught the smug look he gave Daddy before I turned back to the car and opened the driver's side door.

"C'mon," I said, sliding into the driver's seat. "Let's take her for a spin!"

6

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What was your first car?


	4. Settling In

**A/N: **

Kudos to Em! She really was a true Muse on this one (I'll tell you why in the end notes). Hope you enjoy it!

Lurkers, please come out and review for me...

SM owns the characters--well, _some_ of the characters in this chapter. hehe No copyright infringement is intended. etc. etc. etc.

Also... apologies to anyone who has this fic on alert and received THREE update notices for Chapter 3. I was having serious issues with spacing and... yeah. Hopefully I've got that problem resolved now. Enjoy!

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Chapter 4

Settling In

It didn't take long for everyone to settle into their new lives in upstate New York. Well, almost everyone. While it took no time at all to get comfortable at home, I wasn't really sure what to do with myself.

Daddy and Momma—I mean, my brother, Edward, and his girlfriend/my adopted sister, Bella—were already enrolled in school and awaiting the first day. Uncle Em and Aunt Rose had decided to travel a bit, so they would be gone most of the time. Uncle Jasper was going to take night classes at the local community college, and Aunt Alice planned to continue designing clothes and selling them online. My "father" was a doctor at the local hospital, naturally. And my "mother" had plans to restore an old home on the outskirts of town. Jake had found a garage that needed an extra hand, so he would be gone during the day fixing up cars. Since I had supposedly already graduated, there really wasn't anything for me to do…

The first few days after we arrived, I wandered around the house and the woods surrounding it. I didn't bother to run—unless I was hunting. There was no reason to hurry; I had plenty of time to explore the woods by myself as everyone else did whatever kept them busy.

On the fifth day, I found myself sitting in front of Uncle Emmett's huge flatscreen, flipping through the hundreds of channels and finding nothing that caught my interest. I sighed in frustration and punched the power button on the remote more forcefully than necessary before tossing it on the couch. I made my way to Carlisle's office and began to scan shelf after shelf of books. I had already read most of them, and the ones I hadn't didn't interest me right then.

I thought of going hunting just for something to do, but it really wasn't any fun without Jake. And besides, I wasn't even hungry.

I had already started outside before I decided not to hunt, and my eyes strayed to the garage. Maybe a drive was what I needed…

~ * ~

An hour later, I pulled into a gas station, having nearly drained my car's tank with my aimless wanderings. The countryside was beautiful and reminded me a little of the forest around Forks. I was a little homesick for the cottage, but not having made any friends outside of my family, there wasn't really much to miss.

Turning the key in the ignition, I slid out of the driver's seat and went to remove the gas cap. I slid my credit card into the slot and selected my fuel grade before sliding the nozzle into place. My head snapped up when I heard a low whistle and some murmuring from across the lot.

Three guys stood next to a light blue, late '50s Chevy truck, one of them leaning against the hood. It was a beautiful truck, and I couldn't help but think of the old red truck my mother had driven in high school. I had seen a few pictures of it, and I knew that she had been sad when it had finally died. I also knew that she would really appreciate this one.

Two of the guys had their backs to me, so I couldn't really see their faces. But they both looked muscular and had hair past their shoulders; one was blond, the other brunet. The third guy—the one leaning against the hood—had straight, longish, dark brown hair that could best be described as shaggy —but in a good way. I noticed high cheekbones and a straight nose; his lips were curved up slightly at the corners, as if one of his friends had said something amusing. From a distance, it was hard to tell his eye color, but if I had to guess, I would say they were either brown or green. Jeans and a t-shirt seemed to be the uniform for the trio.

I watched as his eyes traveled first over the lines of my car and then over me. I felt my face flush at his attention. He must've been the one to whistle.

Just then I heard the _clunk_ that meant my tank was full, so I pulled the nozzle out and put it back on its hook. After replacing my gas cap, I smoothed my hands down my jeans, risking a quick glance over at the truck. He was still watching me, the smile still lurking at the corners of his mouth. I felt the heat rush into my face again.

"Can you drive it, sweetheart?" he called, and his friends laughed loudly.

I found myself smiling back before I whipped around and slid into my seat. Turning the key in the ignition, I revved the engine and put it in gear. I pulled around to the exit and stopped to rev it again before breaking the tires loose like Jake had shown me on our first drive in my new baby. As I sped out of the parking lot and down the road, I could just see three shocked faces in my rearview mirror through the smoke and chuckled to myself.

Jake would've been proud of me!

~ * ~

Not wanting to acquaint myself with the law in the little town, I slowed down a block away from the gas station and scanned the shops that lined the main street. There was a mom-and-pop grocery store, a hardware store, a bank, a barber shop, a beauty salon, and a couple of diner-style restaurants. I did a double-take at the sign in one of the windows.

I pulled up against the sidewalk and made my way to the little diner. A bell rang overhead when I opened the door, and everyone inside looked up. Ignoring the stares, I walked up to the counter and sat down on a red vinyl stool.

"What can I get you, honey?" asked the redhead behind the counter.

I glanced over my shoulder at the picture window. Turning back around, I said, "I saw the sign in the window, and I'm looking for a job, so…"

The thought of getting a job hadn't even occurred to me until I saw that sign, but at least it would give me something to do.

"How old are you?" she asked, squinting at me.

"Almost nineteen," I answered.

She raised an eyebrow at me and pursed her lips.

"I know I look young for my age. Most of the women in my family do," I added with a smile. If she only knew…

"Do you have any experience waitressing?"

I shook my head. "But I'm a quick learner."

"Mm hmm." Her lips were still pursed, and she crossed her arms over her ample bosom.

"I can start today if you'd like," I said hopefully.

Down the counter someone called, "Hey, Shirley, can I get a refill?"

The redhead began to walk away, only breaking eye contact when she reached the coffee pot. She filled up an older man's cup and replaced the pot on the coffeemaker. Then she looked back at me and nodded her head.

"What's your name, sweetie?" she asked.

"Vanessa Masen, but everyone calls me Nessie."

"Well, Vanessa, I'll give you a try," she said, grabbing a rag and wiping down the counter in front of me. "You come back at four o'clock, and we'll see how you do with the supper rush."

"Thanks," I said, a smile plastered all over my face.

I slid off the stool to go but then turned back to ask, "What should I wear?"

"Comfortable shoes," she said.

~ * ~

So I showed up at four—actually I was a few minutes early—with a pair of running shoes on. I doubt it would've mattered whether or not I wore a pair of my aunts' stilettos, but I figured if Shirley had warned me to wear comfy shoes, I needed to keep up appearances. Wanting to make a good impression, I had also decided on a pair of khaki pants and a white button-down blouse. None of my family had come home before I had to leave, so I left a little note telling them I had gotten a job and would be home later that night. Shirley smirked at me when I walked in the door.

I looked down at myself and then back at her. _What's so funny?_ I wondered.

"I hope you're not too attached to those clothes," she said.

"Why?"

"White and tan get dirty quick," she answered, shaking her head.

So I didn't know the first thing about waitressing.

"Would jeans have been better?" I asked, a little more sharply than I had intended.

"Mm hmm. And a darker colored blouse."

I nodded. "I won't forget."

She pursed her lips and handed me a little name tag with _Vanessa_ spelled out in white raised letters on a red tape background. I pinned it to my blouse and then took the black apron she held out to me. The long ties wrapped around my slim waist twice, and I tied them quickly in the back.

"You'll need these," she said, sliding an order pad and a pen across the counter. "Straws are back here—" she jerked her thumb behind the counter "—unless you want to come get them every time you take drinks to a table. Are your hands clean?"

"Where's the ladies' room?" I asked, pocketing the pad and pen.

She pointed toward the back of the diner. I made quick work of washing my hands and came back out and around the counter, grabbing a handful of straws and settling them in one of the pockets on my apron.

The next forty minutes involved Shirley firing instructions at me about everything from how to run the cash register and coffee machine to where all the condiments, menus, and cutlery are kept to procedures for dealing with complaints and rude customers. I memorized each piece of information she threw at me, determined to impress her. She told me she would help me cash out my checks until I got the hang of it and that any tips I got were mine to keep. I also found out that customers were allowed to sit wherever they want and, since it was such a small diner, I wasn't assigned to a particular section but that I needed to keep an eye on all of the tables; Shirley would handle the counter.

"So you think you got all that?" she asked at the end of her lecture.

I nodded and smiled at her.

"No, you don't," she responded. "Why don't you go in back and sit down for a few minutes before your shift actually starts? I need you out here at five o'clock."

Although I didn't really need it, I took her up on her offer and went to sit down.

One of the cooks was also taking a break. He smiled and patted the chair beside him. I perched on the table instead.

"So, welcome to Daisy's Diner," he said. "I'm Mark. You're Vanessa, right?" he added, staring at the tag on my chest.

"Nessie," I answered.

"So why haven't I seen you around, Nessie?" he asked with a grin.

"I just moved here a few days ago."

He hmmed and looked me up and down. I felt myself blush and hoped that I wasn't developing my mother's lamentable affliction. Although I had never seen it for myself, I knew that when she was still human, my mother would blush at the drop of a hat. Uncle Emmett had commented on more than one occasion that he missed being able to tease a blush out of his little sister. And several times I had seen Daddy run his thumb or finger across Momma's cheek after someone said something that made her uncomfortable. I had asked her about it once, showing her what I'd seen, and she explained that her propensity to blush was one of the things Daddy missed since she had become a vampire.

It had never been a problem for me before, although I had always been a little shy about meeting strangers. I always worried that they wouldn't understand my special abilities, but because humans weren't supposed to find out about them, it didn't seem like it should be an issue. However, twice today, men had scanned their way up and down my body, and both times I had blushed.

_I wonder why Mark doing it makes me uncomfortable but the guy at the gas station didn't._

I glanced down at my Dolce&Gabbanna bracelet watch. It had only been five minutes.

"Nice watch," Mark said.

"Thanks," I answered. "My aunt gave it to me for graduation."

He just stared at me.

"Well, I'd better get going," I said, sliding down off the table.

"I'll see you later then," he said, smiling broadly.

I didn't respond but made my way to the ladies' room where I waited out the last five minutes of my break.

When I walked back out to the diner, Shirley asked me if I was ready. At my nod, she pointed to the table by the door and said, "There's your first customers. Go get 'em!"

I grabbed two menus, made my way over to the table and smiled at the couple.

"Hi, I'm Ness—Vanessa," I said, thinking of the pseudonym on my name tag and placing the menus on the table in front of them. I nervously smoothed my apron down. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Two cokes, please," answered the man.

"I'll be right back with those," I said.

After that, the evening seemed to fly by. In the next four hours, I didn't have a second to sit down. One table would clear, and I would just get it clean when a new set of patrons would come in and sit down. I brought each customer drinks, jotted down their orders, took the slips of paper to Mark and David in the kitchen, brought out their meals when they were ready, and cashed out each check—Shirley only had to help me with the first three, but then she hovered every time I came up to the register. By the time nine o'clock—closing time—rolled around, I was a little dizzy from all the back and forth to and from the kitchen, and I had refilled my straw pocket at least five times. But I certainly hadn't been bored!

I wiped each table down one last time and made sure all the salt and pepper dispensers and ketchup bottles were filled. I refilled all the stainless steel napkin holders and set napkin-wrapped cutlery sets on each of the tables so they would be ready for the breakfast shift. I slid onto one of the stools at the counter as Shirley finished counting out the register. She reached behind her and then pushed a piece of apple pie in front of me.

"Here, honey. You did real good. This is on the house," she said.

I thanked her but added, "I'm not really one for sweets."

Her eyes skimmed my slender frame and she hmphed softly. "Suit yourself," she muttered and dug into the pie I had refused. "So how much did you make in tips?" she asked around a mouthful of pie.

Human food wasn't appetizing to me to begin with, but seeing it half-chewed behind Shirley's bright pink lipstick was even worse. I swallowed uncomfortably and pulled out the money in the last pocket of my apron. I counted it all up and realized that I had made just under $25 in tips.

"Not bad for your first night," she praised. I was careful not to watch her lips.

"Do you need me to do anything else?" I asked.

She shook her head and finished off the pie. "Same time tomorrow," she told me. "And it'll be even busier tomorrow, being as it's Friday."

"I'll be here," I assured her, sliding off the stool.

She looked at the single coke stain on my right leg and said, "And wear—"

"Jeans and a dark shirt," I finished. "Will do!"

I walked to my car and slid in, wondering what my family's reaction would be on learning that I was now a waitress at Daisy's Diner.

7

* * *

**End Notes: **

So... I've never been a waitress and had to consult my Muse for the waitress-y stuff. She gave me the down-and-dirty (don't go there!) Waitressing for Dummies *winks at Em* to get Nessie where she needed to be.

Come play on my NEW thread at twilighted(dot)net.

What was your first job?


	5. Breaking Out

Disclaimer: Same as always: SM owns them, I just imagine the what ifs...

Thanks again to my Muse and beta Echoes who is so very encouraging. Also, thanks to my sister who let me read this out loud to her, which helped me see places I needed to tweak. She's been my #1 fan for as long as I've been writing. :)

* * *

Chapter 5

Breaking Out

As I sped toward home, I turned my cell phone back on and saw that I had six text messages. Half of them were from my father.

_You'll do fantastic! I haven't told anyone._ –Alice, 2:45 pm

_Ness, what do you think you're doing? Come home._ –Edward, 4:02 pm

_Is this your rebellious teenage stage? :)_ –Bella, 4:05 pm

_When are you coming home?_ –Edward, 6:34 pm

_Want to hunt with me later?_–Jake, 7:03 pm

_We need to talk when you get home._ –Edward, 9:15 pm

So Brother-Dad was in full-on protective father mode again. That's why I was glad no one had been home when I had gone back to change this afternoon. At least Momma seemed resigned to the fact that I was doing this. Aunt Alice… she had obviously seen when Shirley decided to try me out on the evening shift. Supportive, as always. And Jake… he probably knew I would want to hang out and talk about my first day.

I flipped my phone shut and drove up the private lane that led to our new house. With it set so far back among the trees, it almost reminded me of our house in Forks—minus the cottage I had shared with Momma and Daddy.

The rumble of my engine grew slightly louder as I pulled into the garage, and it echoed around the walls. Glancing at the door leading into the house, I decided to take the long way around to the front door to give myself a few more seconds of calm before the storm. I took a deep breath and started up the porch steps. I could see my father standing in the living room, his scowling face watching me through the window.

"Hi, everyone, I'm home!" I called cheerfully as I closed the door behind me. Only Momma and Daddy were in the living room.

"Renesmee Carlie Cullen, what do you think you're doing?" Daddy's voice was soft but sharp.

_Uh-oh. He pulled out the full name._

"I got a job today. They needed me right away."

"Why? You don't _need_ the money."

"I would think you would already know," I retorted, resenting his little gift not for the first time.

His scowl deepened, the little crease between his eyebrows sinking deeper, and my eyes flicked to Momma. The ghost of a smile lingered around her lips. I smiled my thanks for her placing her shield around me.

Then I sighed and explained, "Well, there's really nothing for me to do, and I was bored. I went for a drive today and saw a sign in the window of a little diner, so I thought I'd give it a try."

"Why?" Daddy asked again.

I shrugged. I wasn't exactly sure how to explain it to him, but I hoped he would understand and accept my decision. "I want to be as normal as I can be," I said. "Being a waitress is pretty normal for a girl just out of high school, isn't it?" I looked between my parents.

Momma nodded, and Daddy turned his scowl on her. "Bella, love, you're not helping," he whispered.

"Oh?" she returned. "And what is it you need help with?"

Daddy huffed in exasperation.

"Besides," I said, "should you really have a say in the matter, _little brother_?"

His head snapped around so quickly it was a wonder it didn't just snap right off. His golden eyes blazed, and I held my hands up in surrender.

"I'm sorry," I conceded. "I couldn't help myself. But aren't we supposed to keep up appearances? What am I supposed to tell Shirley? I can't be a waitress because my little brother doesn't like it?"

"She has a point," Momma muttered.

Daddy glared first at her then back at me. "You're determined to do this?" he asked.

I squared my shoulders. "I am."

He huffed again. "I suppose there are worse ways to stay occupied," he allowed.

"What do you have against it?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

He was silent, glancing first at Momma, then back at me. "Nothing, I suppose."

I crossed my arms over my chest and raised an eyebrow at him the way I'd seen Momma do when she knew he was lying through his perfect, sharp white teeth.

"Can I help it if I'm still an over-protective father?" he questioned, finally cracking a tiny smile. "It's just hard to see you growing up so fast."

I flew into his arms and squeezed him tightly. "I guess I wouldn't want you any other way," I whispered, kissing his hard cheek. "You can all come in now," I said to the house at large. "Drama's over."

I smiled as the rest of the family trickled in to hear how my first night on the job had gone.

~ * ~

Over the course of the next week, I worked five more evening shifts at Daisy's. I found out that Daisy was Shirley's sister and, when she moved away to New York City, Shirley took over the diner and kept the name. I learned the names of the regulars and what they usually ordered so that I didn't even need to write up their orders anymore.

Mark continued to talk to me on my breaks; it was odd how his break always seemed to coincide with mine. Although I wasn't terribly comfortable in his presence, he seemed to know where the invisible line of my tolerance was. David pretty much ignored me, other than when he told me an order was up. And Shirley continued to tempt me with pie and cake after each shift. Every time I refused her offer, she would eat the neglected dessert herself, and I would excuse myself to avoid watching her eat and talk at the same time. Ugh!

The next Friday night, I was halfway through my shift, bringing out four plates of burgers and fries—three along my left arm and one in my right hand—when the little bell over the door rang again. I came to an abrupt stop as a delicious scent that made my throat burn wafted toward me, and the three plates on my arm went crashing to the tile floor. I looked up and saw a swish of dark brown hair above a white t-shirt rippling with muscles as the man at the door turned to say something to his friend behind him. By the time he turned back around, I had set the one safe plate on the table and was already picking up the broken ceramic and scattered food, apologizing to my customers for the mishap.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_ I wondered, blushing furiously.

As I cleaned up, I saw the guy from the gas station settling into a chair at a table near the door. He ran his fingers through his long dark hair, and I couldn't help noticing the way his muscles moved beneath the white cotton of his t-shirt. He smiled at something his friend said and rested his elbow on the table.

I walked quickly to the kitchen, dumping the ruined food in the trash can on my way.

"I need three more burgers and fries for table five," I said on my way to the bathroom to wash my hands.

"What happened?" David called after me.

"I tripped," I improvised, as I walked back out to the restaurant. I grabbed two menus and two sets of cutlery. "Your order will be right out," I said to table five on my way to the front of the diner. When I reached the new customers, I painted a smile on my face and tried not to blush as I swallowed against the burn in my throat and said, "Hi, I'm Vanessa. Can I get you something to drink?" I set the menus and cutlery in front of them. Why hadn't I noticed this burn at the gas station?

"Two cokes."

"Coming right up," I said, turning to head to the soda fountain.

"Hey, did you hurt yourself?" said an unfamiliar voice from behind me. I blushed as I realized they must have witnessed my little disaster.

Looking back I answered, "No, I'm fine."

"I mean when you fell from heaven," said the man I didn't recognize.

_Heaven?!_ What was he talking about? Not sure how to respond, I just smiled, shook my head, and went to get their drinks.

I set the drinks in front of them and, pulling two straws from my apron, asked, "Are you ready to order or do you need another minute to decide?" The menus were still closed in front of them.

"I'll have a burger and fries, hold the broken plate," said the guy from the gas station, his lips twitching slightly.

"You got it," I laughed and turned to his friend.

"Same for me," he said.

The rest of the night passed without any other mishaps, but Gas Station Guy's friend kept throwing me off-kilter with his odd comments. On one trip to refill their cokes, he asked, "Is your dad a thief? Because he stole the stars and put them in your eyes." When I glanced at Gas Station Guy, I saw a hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth, but he didn't say anything, and he didn't look at me.

They took their time over their meals and even ordered dessert. I had just delivered a slice of apple pie and a square of chocolate cake to their table when the strange one said, "Hey, Vanessa, what time do you get off work?"

"We close at nine," I said, thinking that he probably already knew that. I glanced at my watch. It was 8:30.

"How would you like to come hang out with me and Luke?" he asked.

_So that's Gas Station Guy's name,_ I thought, glancing at him and hoping I wouldn't blush. _Luke._

"I don't know," I said.

He swallowed a bite of his pie. "C'mon. It'll be fun."

I could see Daddy's face if I didn't come home right away. He was still uncomfortable with my working at the diner, although he hadn't voiced any more objections. Momma and Jake would probably worry, too. But if I texted them that I had made a friend and was going to hang out…

"I don't even know you," I protested.

"So you hang out with us, and you'll get to know us."

I glanced at Gas Sta—Luke. He was pulling out his wallet, looking at neither of us.

"I really need to get home," I hedged.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure," I answered firmly, although I regretted the lost chance to find out more about Luke. "I don't even know your names," I added before I could stop myself.

"I'm Tristan, and this is Luke."

"It's nice to meet you," I responded, stacking their empty plates.

"You still won't come hang with us?" Tristan pressed.

I shook my head and pulled their check from my apron pocket.

"Keep the change," Luke said, not even looking at the check and handing me a small wad of cash. "C'mon, Trist. She's not buying what you're selling."

Tristan shook his head but said, "We'll see you around, Vanessa." They both stood, and Tristan added, "I'll be sure to tell God he's missing an angel," with a wink before they left.

I stared after them as the little bell above the door jingled. I still couldn't make heads or tails of the strange comments Tristan had made. It seemed almost like he was teasing me, but he barely knew me, so…

I shook my head, picked up their plates and wiped down the table. As I passed the counter on my way back to the kitchen, Shirley said softly, "I'd watch my step around those two."

I looked back at her but kept going and deposited the dirty plates in the bin for the guys. When I got back to the counter, I took the last check and the wad of cash out of my apron and rang up the sale. My mouth dropped open. If my math was right, the tip should have been around three dollars, but there was still five and some change left over from what Luke had handed me. Was he trying to make up for his friend's weirdness? I didn't see any other reason he would leave such a large tip. I couldn't help myself; I really wanted to solve the puzzle he presented.

When the last customer had gone home and the front door was locked, I stayed at the counter while Shirley ate her lemon meringue pie.

"Hey, Shirley," I began as she finished the bite she was on, "what did you mean earlier?" I hoped she wouldn't make me elaborate.

Surprisingly, she set down her fork and cleared her throat. There was still a good half of the slice of pie left. She leaned on the counter as if settling in for a good gossip.

"Tristan Cunningham and Lucas Westbrook are two of the wildest boys in town." She pressed her bright pink lips together, staring pointedly at me as if that one sentence said it all. When I didn't respond, she added, "They and their little group of hoodlums have been in a lot of trouble over the years. All through high school, they spent more time in detention than in most of their classes, and since they've graduated, it's just parties and girls."

I shifted uncomfortably on my stool.

"Mm hmm," Shirley murmured, picking up her fork and digging into the pie again. "I heard tell that Lucas got in some serious trouble with the law a few months back. I don't really know the whole story, but his aunt and uncle were pretty scarce around town after it happened, and the gossip ran wild and thick. And I know for a fact that he's the love-'em-and-leave-'em kind. So I would be careful around them, if I were you."

Sliding off the stool, I assured her, "I'll keep that in mind."

The drive home somehow didn't seem long enough to sort through the thoughts running around in my head. I couldn't seem to stop thinking about him—Luke—and I sincerely hoped that Daddy would be out hunting when I got home. I didn't want him to know that I was dwelling on the local bad boy and wondering when he would come back into the diner again.

As I pulled into the garage, I was thrilled to see Jake's Rabbit parked in its usual spot. Suddenly, I really needed to talk to him.

* * *

Special thanks must go to icecoldhamster and the rest of the girls on late-night TwiChat for Tristan's pick-up lines. They indulged me for over an hour sharing their best (and worst) pick-ups. They even made me blush a couple of times! LOL

So... what's the best (or worst) pick-up line YOU have ever heard/used/been a victim of? hehe

7


	6. Frustrations

**CHAPTER NOTES:**

First of all, I'd like to thank all of my readers/reviewers. My readership appears to be quite broad, and I have to trust that most of you are enjoying the story. (If you reviewed, I wouldn't have to guess. haha)

Much love, as always, to EchoesofTwilight (Em) for being my Muse, my beta, and my all-around support person. 3 I love how you get excited when I tell you I have another chapter for you.:)

Special thanks goes out to myheroin for helping with the song selections in this chapter. She reminded me of some excellent moody classics by Chopin which feature in this one. Thanks, Krys!

_One last note before you read:_ In case you didn't know yet, I have posted the first outtake for this fic both on Twilighted and on FanFiction. Although they're not essential to the story, I think it's nice to see an alternate POV for certain scenes. So you can check out The Moons of Mars – Outtakes from Mars Rising for that. Aaannd… I now have a banner and signature block if anyone is interested. You can find it on the first page (third post) of my thread on the Twilighted forum under Post-Breaking Dawn.

And now… on with the story…

* * *

Chapter 6

Frustrations

I slipped through the garage door, concentrating on asking Jacob to go hunting with me just in case my father was around. I found Jake lounging on the sofa in the living room, remote control in hand. He looked up as I dropped my purse on a side table.

"Hey, Ness," he said, smiling at me. "How was work?"

"Okay," I said. I looked around, listening to hear who was home. I could hear Carlisle and Esme upstairs and Alice and Jasper on the back deck. "Where is everyone?"

Jacob shrugged and flipped the TV off. "I think your parents went hunting. And Blondie and Muscles haven't come back from wherever they went this morning."

"You wanna go hunting with me?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "You're hungry again?"

We had just gone hunting the day before.

"Please?" I said, with no further explanation.

Jacob studied my face, looking longest in my eyes. Whatever he saw there convinced him, and he nodded, tossing the remote onto the coffee table.

~ * ~

We each downed a couple of deer before I called a halt to the hunt. I wasn't really hungry, but I figured I should at least keep the pretense up for a little while before cornering Jacob about what was really on my mind. I stopped under a deep canopy of trees and called his name softly. He circled back around to me, his paws padding lightly on the mossy ground.

"Go change," I said, pulling out the shirt and shorts I had carried for him in the pockets of my jeans. He took them carefully between his teeth and loped into a thicket to phase back and dress.

Before I knew it, he was back beside me, bare feet crunching a few leaves.

"What is it?" he asked.

I placed one hand lightly on his cheek and replayed the strange phrases Tristan had said. I knew my memory of it was laced with the uncertainty I had felt. Before I was finished, Jacob was chuckling.

"He was hitting on you, Ness," he said.

I stared at him, puzzled. "But he didn't even touch me…"

Jacob shook his head and laughed again. "No, not _hit_ as in—" and he pretended to punch my arm. "Those were pick-up lines."

"Pick-up lines?" I was still lost, and I knew he heard it in my tone.

He let out a breath and took my hands in his. "When a guy likes a girl, sometimes he uses pick-up lines to flirt with her. That's what Tristan was doing. He was trying to flirt with you."

My eyes got wide, and my mouth dropped open. "Are you serious?"

He nodded.

I shook my head. "It was silly," I said. "It didn't make any sense…"

Jacob chuckled again. "They usually don't when you really think about it."

"Do they work?" I asked.

"Obviously not on you."

I made a face at him and swatted playfully at his head.

"Have you ever used them?"

"Not really. I'd rather just talk to a girl and get to know her."

I nodded and looked at the hand he still held. "That makes more sense to me."

"Did it bother you?" he asked with a hint of a growl.

I peeked up at him through my lashes and shook my head. "Not really. I just didn't know what he meant by it all. It was… weird. And then his friend…"

Jacob's eyes widened a little. "Yeah?"

"Before they left, he said, 'She's not buying what you're selling.' I wasn't sure what he meant at the time. I guess he was telling Tristan to stop flirting with me?"

Jacob chuckled again and said, "This Tristan must be pretty thick-headed if he didn't pick up on that himself."

I laughed with him and suggested, "Maybe he just thought I was too irresistible to give up on."

"Well, who wouldn't?" Jacob returned playfully.

I smiled at him and tugged on his hand in the direction of the house.

"Ready to head back?" he asked. When I nodded, he told me, "I knew you weren't really hungry, Ness."

"Really? How?"

"Because I know _you_. And I can tell when you're not into it."

"Hmmm. Am I becoming too predictable?"

"Nope," he said, tapping my nose. "I'm your best friend, right?"

"Mm hmm."

He shrugged and started walking. "Best friends are supposed to know things like that," he said matter-of-factly.

"And you are the _best_ best friend," I told him, grinning as his gait turned to a swagger.

I loved the easy friendship I had with Jacob. It was comfortable, and I knew I could always ask him anything. But I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be friends—or maybe even more?—with Luke…

~ * ~

I woke up earlier than usual the next morning. My first thought was that I'd like to spend the day with Jake. Unfortunately, although it was the weekend, there was a rush job he had been working on at the garage, and he had to go in today to finish it up. The owner of the car would be coming to pick it up that afternoon. I wondered if maybe he would let me come hang out at the garage until it was time for me to go to work.

I heard the soft strains of Chopin's _Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor_ drifting upstairs and wondered what had put Daddy in such a dark mood that he would choose to play _that_ at 7:30 on a Saturday morning. I dressed slowly, letting the music float over me, feeling almost as if the notes were weighing me down. I trudged down the stairs, wondering vaguely where Uncle Jasper was and why he didn't work his magic to snap Daddy out of his bad humor.

Before I went to find Jake, I peeked into the music room to see Momma curled up in a chair beside the piano, reading. That seemed to be her favorite spot—other than their bedroom. Her eyes flickered up at me before she turned to look at Daddy. I knew he knew I was standing there, but he continued to play, ignoring both me and Momma. She cleared her throat quietly and then looked back at me.

I smiled briefly and turned to go, but she shook her head a little, so I stepped inside the room and waited as Daddy brought the piece to its close. He finished with a flourish that somehow sounded forced. Then he turned on the piano bench and looked at me. I caught my breath at the expression in his golden eyes. They blazed with some emotion… worry? I wasn't entirely sure.

"Who is Luke?" he asked, without any prelude.

_Holy crow!_

"How— What do you mean?"

"It's a fairly simple question, Ness." His voice was controlled but charged with that emotion I couldn't quite place.

My mind raced. How could he possibly know about Luke? Had Jake been thinking about our conversation from last night? Had I even told Jake Luke's name? I couldn't remember. Had I somehow slipped and not realized it? I had been extra careful with my thoughts after my parents had come home from hunting.

I looked at Momma quickly and let out a sigh of relief at her tiny nod. She had her shield around me so that I could answer Daddy as I wanted to, without him hearing everything I sifted through while deciding what to say.

"He was a new customer at the diner last night," I finally answered, opting for the simplest, most straightforward truth. "Why?"

Momma's lips tightened in a small smile as Daddy said, "You dreamed about him last night."

_Are you kidding me?!_ my mind screamed.

I had only seen him twice, spoken to him once. While it was true that I had thought about him all the way home from work last night, I had made sure to think of other things after Jake had explained about Tristan's pickup lines and Luke's parting comment. Apparently, my subconscious mind had chosen not to cooperate.

It was bad enough that I didn't remember dreaming at all last night.

Worse, _my father_ had heard my dream in my head!

But worst of all, I had no idea exactly _what_ he had heard…

"Really?" I asked, hoping my voice didn't sound as worried as I felt.

It suddenly occurred to me that he hadn't asked about Tristan. That made me think that I hadn't simply remembered the events of the evening at the diner, but my brain had probably conjured up some fantasy involving the handsome, long-haired man Shirley had warned me about.

"Yes."

That was all he said. No hints. No clues about what I had dreamed.

It seemed there was no way around it. I was going to have to come right out and ask him about it. I took a deep breath before venturing, "What did I dream?"

His scowl deepened, and he answered, "You seemed to be at a diner—although not Daisy's—eating ice cream."

"_I_ was eating ice cream?" I asked.

His features twisted in an expression that let me know he understood that I was deliberately missing the point of the conversation. I mulled over the idea of eating ice cream with Luke and what it could possibly mean. I had never tried ice cream. Milk was abhorrent to me, and I couldn't imagine eating it frozen with other flavors mixed in. So the dream me probably wasn't eating it because she liked it. But the idea of being in a restaurant, eating with Luke, seemed somehow important. Obviously, it was important enough for my subconscious to let my father see it.

I thought back to the conversation we'd had after my first night of work a little over a week ago when I had told Daddy that I wanted to be as normal as I possibly could be—which wasn't much, as normality went. I was guessing that this was the theme of my dream. What could be more normal than a guy and a girl having ice cream and getting to know each other?

And since the only other guys I knew—outside of my family—were Mark, David, and Tristan, it seemed logical that Luke would be the one to star in my dream.

"Hmm," I stalled. _I might as well ask… _"Anything else?"

"You were on a date with him, Ness," Daddy said, carefully stating the obvious.

"I figured that much," I replied calmly. "What else did you see?"

"Not much," he said, looking perplexed at my lack of reaction. "You were just eating ice cream and talking about music."

"And that prompted you to play _Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor_?" I quizzed, not bothering to hide my exasperation. "For a second there, I thought maybe I had bitten him or something."

"Not funny, Ness."

I shrugged. I didn't see what the problem was. Why had a dream of me eating ice cream and talking about music with a guy made Daddy so upset? I looked over at Momma, questioning her with my eyes.

"You don't seem to be upset," I commented.

She smiled a little and shrugged her own shoulders. "It's just a dream, right?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"And you don't even know this Luke, right? He's just a customer from the diner?"

"Mm hmm."

Where was she going with this?

"And you're not planning to go out with him, right?"

My mother was very sneaky. Where Daddy's uptight statements hadn't gotten me to admit to my curiosity about Luke, her gentle questions had so easily taken me there. However, I could answer her honestly, "Right."

Although I thought I would like very much to get to know him better, I had no immediate _plans_ to do anything about it. Who knew when—or if—I would ever even see him again?

"So why should I be upset that my daughter had a random dream involving a stranger who she'll probably never see again?" She raised an eyebrow at me.

"Exactly," I said, and we both looked at Daddy who glared back at Momma before turning back to the piano and beginning to play _Nocturne No. 20 in C-sharp minor._

~ * ~

I found Jake sitting out on the back porch, his back leaning against the railing, eating a bowl of Count Chocula cereal and wearing a pair of sweatpants and a white t-shirt. His feet were bare.

He glanced up as I sank down beside him, pulling my feet in close and resting my crossed arms on my knees. I laid my right cheek on my arm, facing my best friend.

"Hey," I said quietly.

"'Morning," he responded, after swallowing his mouthful of cereal.

We sat quietly for a couple of minutes while Jacob finished his breakfast, and I chuckled when he drank the last of the chocolate-flavored milk with a loud slurp.

"What's up?" he finally asked, setting the bowl down beside him.

"You're working this morning?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I need to go change. You?"

"This evening."

"So I'll see you when you get home tonight?"

"I had sort of hoped maybe I could come with you and hang out at the garage this morning," I suggested. The thought had already formed in my mind when I awoke this morning. And if staying home meant having to listen to Daddy playing funeral marches and other depressing tunes, I wasn't sticking around.

Jake grimaced. "I don't know if Dan—" He broke off when he saw my frown. "Let me call and ask him," he offered.

I smiled as he stood and extended a hand to lift me up. I followed him into the house where he set his bowl and spoon in the sink before going to his room to grab his phone. Choosing to wait for him in the living room, I heard him talking to the owner of the garage, asking if he could bring a friend along, promising that I wouldn't get in the way.

A few minutes later, he came back out, dressed for work. His jeans were a little worn with liberal grease stains that would never wash out. He had changed into a dark blue t-shirt, and his feet were covered by sturdy work boots.

"C'mon," he said, slipping his phone in a pocket.

I followed him out to the garage and got in his little red Rabbit. It was his baby. I doubted he would ever get rid of it, unless someday it rusted away to nothing.

We drove without talking for a couple of miles and then we began singing along with the radio. Neither of us had very good voices, but we often sang together just for fun. He suddenly stopped in the middle of a song, and I broke off awkwardly. I was about to ask what was wrong when he spoke.

"So what was your dad so pissed off about this morning?"

I grimaced, realizing that he had waited to ask until we were out of eavesdropping range of my family—including my father's lamentable ability to read our thoughts.

"I had a dream last night. That's what he said, anyway. I don't remember it at all," I told him.

He whistled softly, shaking his head. "Must've been some dream to make him play that song."

I shook my head and said, "It actually wasn't that serious."

"He told you about it?"

"Mm hmm." I rolled my eyes and asked, "You remember what I showed you last night?"

"Yeah. Tristan's lame attempt at flirting." He chuckled.

"Yeah. Do you remember his friend?"

"You told me what he said, but I didn't see him," he answered, turning to look at me for a few seconds. "Why?"

Taking a deep breath, I said, "Apparently, I dreamed I was eating ice cream and talking about music with him at some diner other than Daisy's."

His mouth formed a little O, but no sound came out.

"Yeah."

Jacob finally found his voice. "So you dreamed about going on a date with a guy you just met and hardly talked to?"

"Pretty much."

I debated briefly whether or not I should elaborate on my interaction with Luke. Even though this was Jake, I wasn't sure I was ready to talk about my feelings about Luke just yet—especially since I hadn't even figured it out. I settled for just telling him that I had seen Luke once before.

"You remember the guys from the gas station?"

He nodded and chuckled, probably remembering me showing him that little story.

"Well, Luke was the one who asked if I could drive the Monte," I said as he pulled into the parking lot of the garage.

We got out of the car, but neither of us said anything else. I wasn't sure if I should say any more, and he seemed to be suddenly focused on getting to work. He pointed wordlessly to a stool in a corner near the car he was working on. I sat down and waited for him to say something.

"So… why did you dream about—"

"I don't know! I don't even remember it!"

He looked at me sharply, and I regretted my outburst immediately.

"I wasn't even thinking about him last night," I said more softly. And I hadn't been. At least not after I had talked to Jacob.

He didn't say anything for a while, his attention focused on the car and his tools. When he finally spoke, he took me by surprise.

"Can I see him?"

I blinked a few times and felt my cheeks heat up. Why was I blushing over _that_? I didn't understand the feelings I was having, and I wasn't ready to share them with anyone yet. Not even Jake. But his request seemed simple enough, so I held out my hand, trying to calm my emotions and thoughts as he walked over to where I sat. He leaned down so I could press my palm to his cheek, and I pulled up my memory of Luke at the gas station, asking me, "Can you drive it, sweetheart?"

Jacob nodded, and I dropped my hand.

He went back to work, his expression somewhere between a frown and a smirk, and I let my thoughts drift, sorting through my memories of Luke, idly wondering if I would see him again. Jake looked over at me a couple of times, and I just smiled at him. After a while, I asked him about the car he was working on. He told me what had been wrong with it and what he was doing to it and all about what it was capable of. When it was time for me to go to work, I said goodbye and thanked him for letting me hang out with him. He said he'd pick me up when my shift was over, and I smiled and waved before heading over to Daisy's.

As promised, Jake picked me up later that night, and when we got home, I went straight to bed, hoping like crazy that I wouldn't dream again.

~ * ~

September came, and Momma and Daddy started their junior year of high school—again. Since they were gone most of the day, along with everyone else, I had no one to talk to and sometimes went down to the diner just to hang out. Occasionally, Shirley put me to work, wrapping flatware and filling salt and pepper shakers. Other times I just sat at the counter and conversed with the patrons, stoutly declining Shirley's attempts to feed me.

On one of those days, I was getting ready to leave to go back home—Momma and Daddy would be home from school soon and I was off that night—when the bell chimed and a petite blonde walked up to the counter and plopped down on a stool. No sooner had Shirley come out from the kitchen than the blonde jumped up and reached over the counter to hug the big redhead.

"Hey, honey," greeted Shirley.

"Hey, yourself!" the blonde returned.

"I didn't know you were back."

"Just got in yesterday."

"How's your mother? I haven't spoken to her in a while."

"She's good. Same as always."

Shirley turned to snag a piece of pie off the back counter and set it in front of the blonde.

"Hey, Shirley," I said, sliding off my stool, "I'm gonna head out. I'll see you tomorrow."

She turned to me, a smile stretching her bright pink lips. "Vanessa, have you met my niece?"

I shook my head and turned to the blonde who had just swallowed a bite of the pie. I held out my hand, and she shook it warmly.

"Hi, Vanessa. I'm Molly." Her smile was as bright as her aunt's, minus the pink lipstick.

"It's nice to meet you, Molly," I said, sliding my hands into the back pockets of my jeans.

"You should show Vanessa around, sugar," Shirley suggested. "She's been in town over a month now and still doesn't have any friends."

I blushed. It had never occurred to me that Shirley would notice what a loner I was. It didn't really bother me because I had my family and Jacob, but I guess that to an outsider it would seem like I was lonely.

"Sure," Molly responded. "In fact, I'm going to a party on Saturday night. Why don't you come with me?"

"Well, I have to work—"

"You get off at nine?"

"Nine-thirty," I corrected her.

"Nine," Shirley said. I raised an eyebrow at her, but she shook her head at me. "You're here enough extra, we can manage to close up without you. You just go out and have some fun."

"I'll meet you here at nine, then," Molly said with a grin.

I agreed and then left.

~ * ~

I had no sooner closed the door when Aunt Alice asked from her perch on the arm of the couch, "What's your new friend's name?"

"How do you know I have a new friend?" I responded, frowning.

"Please, Nessie," she said. "You doubt me?"

"I guess not," I said with a chuckle. "Her name is Molly. She's Shirley's niece."

By this time, I had told them all about Shirley and the guys at the diner. They laughed at Shirley's repeated attempts to get me to eat dessert every evening, and Jacob often commented that he would have to visit Daisy's soon to test out these delicacies. Although my parents both cooked for him on a regular basis, he never turned down "good food" when it was offered. I knew Shirley would love him. After all, she was the one who baked all the desserts.

"So you're going to a party on Saturday?" Alice continued.

I looked at her in disbelief. Did she have to spill all my secrets to everyone? Wasn't it bad enough that Daddy probably would have found out soon anyway?

"Why don't Bella and I go with you?" Daddy said.

"No, thanks, _little brother_," I answered. "I think it's gonna be an older crowd than you run with anyway." Molly was in college, and I was supposed to be turning nineteen in a few days. I was pretty sure this party was not for high school kids—like my parents.

"Well, then you should take Jacob," Daddy suggested.

"Why?" I countered. I knew Jacob looked to be in his mid-twenties, even though he was only twenty-one.

"You don't know anyone, and—"

"Yeah, that's kind of the point of going to the party. So I can _meet_ people."

"I just think—"

"I know what you think," I snapped. "I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself." I stomped toward the stairs.

"Renesmee…"

"Don't 'Renesmee' me," I said, whipping back around and, even to myself, I sounded like a rebellious teenager.

Jacob came into the living room from the kitchen, a big sandwich in his hands. "Hey, Ness," he said in greeting, and I turned my glare on him. "Whoa. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I answered. I smoothed my features to a neutral expression; it wasn't _his_ fault Brother Dad was so overbearing and overprotective. He just happened to be the subject at hand.

"Okay," he said, but he set his uneaten sandwich down on the coffee table and came behind me to rub my tense shoulders. "You wanna go for a run?" he asked quietly.

I scowled at my father and took Jacob's hand. "Yeah, I do," I agreed.

~ * ~

We ran deep into the forest until I knew we wouldn't be overheard by the vampires in the house. I slowed to a stop, and Jacob padded into a thicket to phase back.

"So…"

I sighed at his prompting. All the time we had run, I had been trying to sift through my thoughts and feelings, trying to figure out what made me so mad and how I could explain it to Jacob. Still, I wasn't sure how to start.

"I don't know how to tell you—"

He held out his hand and, when I placed mine in his, he lifted my palm to his cheek.

"Just show me," he said.

My fingers flexed against his warm copper skin, and I let the scene in the living room replay for him. My consternation at Alice spilling about the party—which I hadn't even been thinking about—and my frustration with my father's intrusion laced the memory.

"So he's being overprotective—again," Jacob said in a matter-of-fact tone. "And Tinkerbell still meddles. It's nothing new," he added.

"I know," I said, dropping my hand. I wrapped my arms around my waist. "I just—I want to be _normal_, you know? I don't want to have to drag my family with me to every new experience."

I looked at Jacob and saw his head drop to his chest. Had I hurt his feelings? Did he think I didn't want him around?

"It's not that I don't want you to come," I said in a rush. "I probably would have asked you anyway. It's just—I don't like being _told_ to take you with me, like I need you for protection or something. Why can't he just let me grow up?" I growled and raked my fingers through my curls.

"Hey," Jacob said softly, taking my hands in his and smoothing out my clenched fingers. "It's okay, Ness. That's just how Edward _is_. There's really nothing you can do about it. He's always going to worry about you; he's a dad. I think it comes with the territory."

"So you agree with him?" I questioned, pulling my hands away.

"No. I know you can take care of yourself, and you don't need me to protect you. I would if you needed me to, but I know you can handle yourself."

I sighed and touched his shoulder briefly. "Thanks, Jacob."

"Any time."

Neither of us said anything for a couple of minutes, and then he held out his hand and glanced in the direction of the house. I shrugged, and placed my hand in his.

"Let's just walk back," he suggested.

"Okay," I agreed, thinking that, although running was exhilarating and fun, it was too hard to talk to Jacob when he was in his wolf form.

We started back and I said, "So… How would you like to go to a party on Saturday night?"

He chuckled and squeezed my hand. "Only if you want me to."

"Of course, I want you to," I said. "I'll just have to make sure it's okay with Molly first."

"Where is this party?"

I laughed as I realized I had no idea. "I guess I'd better ask her about that, too, huh?"

We made our way back to the house, laughing and talking about the rest of our day, and I was glad to have this respite before confronting my father again.

~ * ~

"Your sandwich is in the fridge," Momma told Jacob as soon as he opened the door.

I walked past him into the kitchen and continued on to the living room as he dug into the fridge for his snack. Aunt Alice asked if we needed to go shopping before Saturday as I breezed through the living room, and I threw an, "I'll let you know," over my shoulder. I was headed for the music room where Daddy was playing his beloved piano. The tune he had chosen was dark and heavy: the Main Theme from _Schindler's List_.

I stopped just inside the doorway and stared at him, deliberately thinking, _Jacob's going to the party with me._

He smiled, and his body turned slightly toward me although he continued to play fluidly.

_It's because _I _want him to go, not because you think he _should_,_ I thought as I turned around and ran up to my bedroom. I just caught the beginnings of his scowl, and the music paused for just an instant before it took on a decidedly frustrated undertone.

**

* * *

**

A/N:

Kudos to myheroin on this one! Krys helped immeasurably with the music selections for dark, moody Dadward. Thanks, sweetie! 


	7. Party Animals

All the usuals... Most of the characters don't belong to me. No harm intended for borrowing them. Etc., etc., etc.

Thanks again to icecoldhamster for the pickup line that made me blush that night on TwiChat! You rock, sweetie!

And as always... thanks to my Muse and beta, Em (echoesoftwilight) for all her support and encouragement. I am so glad you're feeling better and away from the pink elephants to do what you do so well! 3 MWAH!

* * *

Chapter 7

Party Animals

The next afternoon, I showed up at Daisy's Diner at four forty-five, ready for my evening shift. As I tied my little black apron around my waist and filled up with straws, I asked Shirley how I could get in contact with Molly. She offered to give me her niece's cell number, and I agreed that I could get it from her on my break. However, it proved to be an unusually busy evening, and I wasn't able to get the number until after we closed up.

Shirley seemed really happy that Molly was going to "show me around," and I wondered at her sudden interest in my social life. She wasn't exactly the mother hen type who took others under her wing. I couldn't help but think that it might have something to do with her warning about getting involved with Luke and Tristan.

Although I hadn't seen Luke since they came in for hamburgers, Tristan had been into the diner for lunch one day when I was hanging out at Daisy's, and I had seen him at the gas station more than once. I always managed to avoid a long conversation with him, but I couldn't stop myself from wishing that his shaggy-haired friend had been with him. And I was careful to keep these thoughts at bay while at home. No need to give Brother Dad additional fodder for fatherly freak-outs.

~ * ~

I called Molly the next morning, hoping that she would be at home. The party was in a couple of days, and I needed to get some details from her in addition to arranging for Jake to join us.

The phone rang and rang, but finally a breathless voice came on the line.

"Hello?"

"Um… Molly?"

"Yeah?"

"This is Ness—Vanessa… from the diner?"

"Oh! Hi, Vanessa!" Her voice sounded instantly warmer.

"Um… you can call me Nessie. Everyone does—except Shirley," I laughed.

She chuckled along with me and said, "Yeah, Aunt Shirley's not one for nicknames." She paused before asking, "So, what's up?"

"Well, I wanted to ask you about this party on Saturday…"

"Sure. You're still coming, right?"

"Yeah. Uh, I was wondering where it is and what I should wear and how late it lasts…" I trailed off, realizing that I was rambling and sounding a bit like an over-protective parent. Like _my_ over-protective parent.

Molly laughed again. "I guess I didn't really give you any details, did I?"

"Mm mm."

"Well, it's at my friend Kris's house. Someone I went to high school with. And I have no idea how late it will go. Maybe one, two o'clock? Is that a problem?"

"No. I was just curious."

"You live with your parents, don't you?" she asked then, a knowing tone in her voice.

I had to laugh as I affirmed her assumption.

"That's cool," she said. "And as for what to wear… just be comfortable." She paused, then expounded, "Not sweats and sneakers comfortable. But jeans would be okay. I'm probably gonna wear a jean skirt and a baby doll tee. Does that help?"

"Yeah. Sounds good."

"Okay. Anything else?"

_Yeah, do you know if Luke Westbrook is going to be there?_

I wasn't sure it was such a good idea to ask Shirley's niece that question, so I settled for the other matter that was on my mind.

"Um, yeah, actually…"

"Go ahead," she prompted when I trailed off.

"Um… would it be alright if I brought someone with me?" I silently cringed, hoping she wouldn't think it was a strange request.

"Sure," she said brightly. "Who did you have in mind? I thought Aunt Shirley said you didn't know anybody."

"Well, I don't. Not around here, anyway." I took a deep breath. "I have a friend who moved here with us, though. I thought maybe he'd like to come, too."

"He?" Her tone reminded me of a puppy, perking its ears up. "Is he your boyfriend?"

"No!" _Jacob? My boyfriend?_ "No, he's just a friend," I assured her.

"Okay. Can he meet us at the diner?"

"Yeah. I'll have him drop me off and pick me up."

"Okay," she said again. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow night then."

"Sounds great. Thanks, Molly."

We said our good-byes, and I hung up. Well, at least Daddy would be glad that Jacob was going. And I was really looking forward to getting out and having a little fun.

But first… I selected the first number on my Contacts list. I had some shopping to do.

~ * ~

Saturday came, and my shift at the diner seemed like it would never end. I was distracted, and a few times, I delivered the wrong orders to my regular customers. Luckily none of them got upset about the mix-up. One even teased me, asking if I had a new boyfriend. My thoughts immediately turned to Luke and the little smiles I had glimpsed when Tristan's pick-up lines had no affect on me. What would it be like if _he _were my boyfriend? I tried to pull myself together, but I was so excited at even the possibility that he _might_ be at the party that I couldn't seem to focus for long. Besides, tonight would be my first real party.

Closing time finally came and, with it, Jacob and my baby. I heard the rumble when he was still more than a block away and began to regret having him drive my car. We would certainly make an entrance at the party. I hoped Molly wouldn't mind.

I waited for Jacob to come in before locking the door; Molly was already there, sipping a coke at the counter.

"Shirley, what's on the dessert menu tonight?" I called, loud enough for her to hear me in the kitchen.

She came out drying her hands and asked, "Are you finally gonna eat something?"

I laughed and shook my head at her. "Not me," I replied. "Him."

I led Jacob over to the counter to wait while I changed, and I had to laugh when Molly's eyes grew round and her mouth fell open. With his height, muscular build, coppery skin, and glossy black hair, I knew Jacob was a good-looking guy. Beautiful, even… in a masculine way. It was no wonder she was instantly taken by him.

"Jake, this is Molly," I said. "Molly, my friend, Jacob Black."

"Hey, Molly," Jake said with a wave and a quick, easy smile.

Her mouth snapped shut, and she seemed at a loss for words. "Hey," was all she said.

"Have a seat, Jake," I directed. "I'm gonna go change. If you're lucky, maybe Shirley will let you have some pie." I winked at him, grabbed my bag from behind the counter, and headed for the bathroom as he settled onto the stool two seats away from Molly.

----------

When I came back out, Molly was finishing her coke, Shirley was wiping down the counter, and Jacob was polishing off the last bite of Shirley's apple pie à la mode. I heard his deep hum of satisfaction and giggled behind him. He spun around on the red vinyl stool to face me, and his eyes widened as he took in my outfit.

I felt a little over-dressed compared to Molly, but Aunt Alice had refused to take no for an answer. She had insisted that the low-cut, lavender knit blouse with its long, flowing sleeves that rippled like flames when I moved was made for me, and the short, black jean skirt dressed it down just enough. To ensure that Brother Dad wouldn't have the vampire equivalent of an aneurism over my neckline, we had layered a black tank top under the blouse. Aunt Alice assured me that the black strappy sandals with kitten heels were the perfect finishing touch. I had to admit that it _was_ a lovely outfit, and I felt all grown up in it.

Jacob stared at my bare legs for a few seconds, and his eyes seemed to say, _Does your father know you're wearing that?_ I laughed and shook my head at him.

"Ready to go?" I asked.

Molly slid off her stool and thanked Shirley for letting me off early. "Nessie, you look fantastic!" she told me as we walked to the door, Shirley trailing behind to lock up after us.

"It's not too much?" I asked uncertainly.

She shook her head and grinned at me.

We said good-night to Shirley and walked out onto the street. My Monte Carlo was waiting at the edge of the sidewalk. I held out my hand for my keys.

"I thought you said I could drive tonight," Jake protested.

"No, I said you were dropping me off and picking me up," I reminded him. "_I'm_ driving to the party."

He reluctantly dropped the keys into my hand, and I swatted at his head when he continued to scowl at me.

Molly was a few paces down the sidewalk when I opened my door and slid into the driver's seat. She stopped and looked back as I gunned the engine and Jake got in on the passenger's side.

"This is _your_ car?" she asked, raising her voice to carry over the rumble of the engine.

"Mm hmm."

"Wow! Nice," she said. "You'll be popular with the guys," she added with another grin.

I smiled back and tried to ignore Jacob's frown.

"So, just follow me, alright?" Molly said.

I nodded and watched her get into a little blue Corolla. She pulled out onto the street, and I followed as my best friend continued to scowl.

"Cut it out," I said.

"What?"

"Stop frowning at me."

He didn't say anything but crossed his arms over his chest.

"You can walk home right now if you're gonna act like that, Jake," I told him. When he still didn't say anything, I added, "This is supposed to be fun. Is that your party face?"

He turned a cheesy grin on me before scowling again.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Your friend wasn't kidding," he said softly.

I raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for elaboration.

"You _will_ be popular with the guys… and not just because of your car."

_Hmm. Well, this is unexpected._

"Are you channeling Edward or something?" I asked, incredulous that _Jake_ had an over-protective attitude. My best friend, my advocate, the defender of my ability to take care of myself. "What happened to 'I know you can handle yourself'?"

"I know you can, but—"

"No 'but,'" I interrupted. "You're going to this party as my friend, not my bodyguard."

"I know, but—"

"Jacob…" The warning was clear in my tone.

He took a deep breath and blew it out loudly as he looked across the car at me.

"I mean it," I said. "I'll stop and kick you out of this car if you don't cut it out."

He stared at me for a few seconds. Then he nodded, and a hint of a smile touched his lips.

"What?"

"Molly was right about something else," he said. "You _do_ look fantastic, Ness."

I smiled at his quiet compliment. "Thanks. I thought it was too dressy, but Alice insisted."

"Leave it to Tinkerbell," he joked, rolling his eyes, as I pulled alongside of Molly's Corolla in front of a large house with cars parked all over the lawn. The party appeared to be in full swing already.

~ * ~

We had barely even closed the door behind us when a tall, rather well-endowed brunette latched onto Jake's arm and invited him to dance. _Demanded_ he dance with her, more like. He glanced at me, and I grinned back, nodding my head in encouragement. Molly caught the last of our exchange and squinted her eyes slightly, searching my face for… something.

"So… do you know a lot of these people?" I asked.

Molly turned around to scan the crowd inside the house. It had an open floor-plan, and I could see to the other side where Jacob and the busty brunette had just disappeared through a pair of open French doors, which allowed the music from the DJ out on the patio to float in unmuffled. Apparently the patio had been turned into a dance floor for the evening, although a few couples had decided to leave the stars to the others and dance inside.

"Surprisingly, I know about half of them," Molly finally answered, turning back to me.

Before she could say anymore, a blonde ran up behind her and threw her arms around Molly's shoulders, screeching her name.

My new friend turned in the blonde's arms and squealed, "Kris!" returning the hug warmly. They bounced in place a few times before finally detangling themselves, and Molly turned back to me.

"Nessie, this is Kristin; it's her party," she said. "Kris, this is Vanessa Masen; she works at Daisy's."

"Hi, Vanessa," Kristin said, extending her hand to me. "Welcome."

I shook her hand and thanked her, adding, "Please call me Nessie."

"Alright. Nessie, it is," she agreed.

"Kris and I went to high school together," Molly said, giving her friend another squeeze.

"But she decided to go to the City for college," Kris added. "I'm so glad you're back," she said to Molly. "I've really missed you!"

"Yeah, me, too," Molly agreed. "We'll have to get together when we can really catch up."

Kristin nodded and then said, "Well, hey, why don't you two get yourselves something to drink? Come with me; the bar's out on the patio."

So she led us outside where Molly ordered a Bacardi Breezer, and I asked for a bottle of water. I had never had an alcoholic drink before. I had no idea how my body would react to it, so I decided that this was _not_ the time to find out.

Kristin stared at me, and Molly quirked an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"I'm not old enough to drink," I whispered, hoping she would let it go at that.

"Yeah? Neither are most of the people here tonight, Nessie," she responded just as quietly, adding, "Me, included."

"Me, too," Kristin said.

_Oh. Well, in that case…_

_But wait!_

What if I had a bad reaction to it and couldn't drive home? And what if Jacob decided to drink, and _he_ couldn't drive either? I didn't want to be different—or difficult—but it was just too much of a risk.

"Seriously," I said, "I'm good with water."

She smirked and turned back to the bartender mumbling, "Suit yourself, kid." He handed her an orange concoction and me my bottle of water minus the cap. Molly sipped hers slowly, scanning the crowd on the dance floor.

"If you'll excuse me…" Kristin said as the song drifted to an end, and she disappeared into the throng of dancers on the patio.

"So, Nessie…" Molly began.

"Yeah?"

"Tell me about Jacob," she said, not looking at me.

I followed her gaze. Not surprisingly, it was locked on Jake who was dancing—not with the buxom brunette but—with Kristin. He must have felt our eyes on him because he looked up at us over her shoulder. I grinned as he spun slowly with her to the music.

"What do you want to know?" I asked Molly, still grinning.

"You're sure he's not your boyfriend?"

"Positive."

"I just wondered because of the way he looked at you when that brunette asked him to dance. It was almost like he was asking your permission."

"He's my best friend," I told her. "I've known him all my life."

"Does he have a girlfriend?"

I giggled and shook my head. "Nope." I tilted my head to the side as I really thought about her question. "I've actually never even seen him date anyone," I admitted before lifting my water bottle to my lips.

She whipped toward me, finally taking her eyes off of Jake.

"He's not gay, is he?"

I choked, bringing the bottle down and wiping my chin. Thank goodness I had only taken a small sip. Recovering, I giggled again.

"No, he's not gay," I assured her and laughed again when she turned back to look at him. "I just don't think he's found the right girl yet," I added.

"So, do you think he'd be interested in _me_?"

I shrugged, realizing that I didn't really know what Jacob was looking for in a girl… _if_ he was even really looking. It had never even occurred to me that he might be, but he was certainly old enough to get married if he wanted to, and he was good-looking enough to attract any girl he wanted. Tonight was ample proof of that. Two songs into the party and he was already on his second dance partner.

However, I knew from personal experience—and the random teasing comment from Uncle Emmett alluding to a time when he got his heart broken—that Jake had a soft heart, and I didn't want to see him get hurt. Not knowing what his future plans were on the dating and marriage issue, and not knowing whether Molly was serious or just out to have fun, I felt a little bit protective of him.

So I told her, "I like you, Molly. And I think you'd enjoy getting to know Jake." She smiled at me, finishing her drink. "But if you break his heart," I said, trying to keep the growl out of my voice, "I swear I will hurt you."

Molly's eyes got huge, and she swallowed convulsively.

"As long as you don't break his heart, I think you should give it a shot."

The song was winding down, and I saw Jacob detach himself from Kristin and start to make his way through the crowd toward us. Another slow tune began, and Molly grinned at me. She straightened her shirt, smoothed down her skirt, and said, "Wish me luck," before walking out to meet Jake before he made it to the bar.

I could just barely hear her ask him to dance over the loud music, and I laughed as his eyes snapped up to meet mine over her head. I made a shooing motion with my hands, slopping a little of the water out of my bottle, and grinned at him. I mouthed, _Go on,_ and he led Molly onto the dance floor, glancing back at me once more.

I stood there, leaning on the bar and watching them dance for a while. Molly barely came up to Jake's shoulder, and she rested her hands on his upper arms. His hands sat loosely on her waist, right above her hipbones as they swayed to the slow beat of the music. I heard the low murmur of her voice and his chuckle a few times.

The music was a little too loud for me, and I had just decided to go back inside for a few minutes when I felt a hand reach out and snag my wrist. I turned to confront the owner of the hand.

"You wanna dance?" he asked before I could say anything.

"Sure," I said, not wanting to be rude, and allowed him to lead me onto the patio dance floor.

He wrapped his hands around my lower back, and I set mine on his shoulders, palms over his collar bones to keep him at a comfortable distance. I had noticed several of the couples dancing with their chests practically melded together, but I had no desire to dance that way with a complete stranger.

"I'm Jared," he said, starting to turn in place.

"Vanessa," I responded.

He asked me if I was with anyone, and I answered vaguely that I had come with friends. And that was the extent of our conversation. He tried to move closer as we danced, but I held him off. As the song drifted to a close, I felt a hand on my upper arm and turned to see Tristan standing behind me.

"May I?" he asked.

I nodded and thanked Jared for the dance. He walked away slowly, glancing back at us a couple of times as we settled into the flow of the next song. I wondered briefly if Kristin had told the DJ to only play slow music.

"Having a good time?" Tristan asked.

"Yeah," I said, although nothing really good had happened yet. However, just knowing that Tristan was here made me realize that my chances of seeing Luke again were higher than I had thought a few seconds ago.

We continued to talk through the dance, and I found out that he could be very charming when he tried—minus the stupid pick-up lines.

As the song ended, he leaned in closer and said, "Why don't you come hang out with me and my friends?"

_Does that mean Luke? _

"I don't know," I said. What if I lost track of Jacob and Molly? What if Luke wasn't one of the friends and I ended up stuck with a bunch of people I didn't know?

"Why not?"

"I think I should find my friends," I hedged, looking around but not seeing them.

"At least come say hi and have a drink with us," he coaxed.

Even though I still wasn't sure it was such a good idea, I decided that this was one risk I could afford to take, so I said, "Okay."

He placed his hand on my lower back and began to lead me off the dance floor when I heard Molly's voice behind me, saying my name. We both turned, and Tristan froze before saying, "Hey, Molly. I didn't know you were back in town."

"Hello, Tristan." Her tone wasn't exactly hostile, but there was definitely some ice in it.

"You know Vanessa?" Tristan asked, ignoring her frosty greeting.

I didn't need Uncle Jasper's talent to feel the waves of tension rolling off of my new friend. Her usually open, friendly features were tight. Her hands were clenched into tiny fists. She hadn't taken her gaze off of Tristan, almost as if he was a dangerous animal she was afraid to look away from.

"Jake will be right back," she told me before asking, "How do you know him?" She still hadn't answered Tristan, although she continued to stare a hole through him.

I tried to smile and explained, "He's been in the diner a couple of times since I started working there."

Tristan smiled at me and raised his hand overhead as if gesturing to someone across the room. A few seconds later, I felt it. The fiery burn I had felt at Daisy's on the night I met Tristan. And right behind it—under all the scents of bodies, cologne, and perfume—was the delicious scent that could only belong to one person. Both the scent and the burn intensified as he drew nearer. Tristan must have beckoned him over, and I wondered if he knew why.

"Luke, look who I found," Tristan called with a grin.

I felt him stop behind me as Molly finally turned away from Tristan, her eyes flashing.

"Molly," Luke said, his voice flat and barely audible over the music and voices around us.

"Lucas." Her voice was even icier now, and her lips were pursed in a very Shirley-ish fashion.

_What is up with her?_ I wondered.

Tristan was shaking his head at Luke, chuckling. "I forgot," he told Luke with a shrug. Then he reached out and held my right arm, turning me slightly toward his friend. "It's Vanessa," he said.

I looked up into the dark eyes that had haunted my thoughts for the past few weeks. They were wide and focused intensely on my face for the briefest of seconds before sliding down to my feet and back up again.

"Hi," I said softly, hoping that I wouldn't blush.

"Hey," Luke responded curtly. He glanced from Molly to Tristan and said, "I'm gonna grab a beer, Trist. I'll catch up with you later."

And he was gone again.

I felt the blush I had been dreading creep into my cheeks. I had no idea what was going on, but that was not the reaction I had expected. All week long, I had secretly wondered if—hoped, if I was being honest with myself—I would meet up with him at this party. And now that I had, it seemed that he wanted nothing to do with _me._

I was brought out of my thoughts by Molly's hand squeezing my left arm as she said, "C'mon, Nessie," and pulled me away from Tristan.

"See you later," I called behind me, and he raised his hand in a silent salute.

Molly pulled me into the house and backed me up against the wall.

"How do you know him?" she demanded.

I stared at her and said, "I just told you—"

She shook her head at me. "Not Tristan. Luke."

"Same thing," I said, puzzled at her reaction to seeing them. "They both came in together a few weeks ago. I haven't seen Luke since that first time," I admitted, and I hoped she didn't hear the same sadness in my voice that I heard.

Her pursed lips relaxed a bit, and she let go of my arm. I watched her as she looked over her shoulder in the direction we had left Tristan.

"Why?" I asked.

She shook her head again and murmured, "We have a history. Luke and I." She ran her fingers through her hair. "I need a drink."

I trailed behind her, back outside, in a roundabout route toward the bar. We skirted around the dance floor on the patio, and Molly's head swung back and forth as she made her way to the bar. I thought she was probably making sure Luke wasn't in the immediate vicinity.

"Smirnoff," Molly told the bartender. He poured it quickly, and she tilted her head back to swallow the entire shot-glass full of vodka. She hissed through her teeth then ordered another.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Peachy," she replied, her eyes darting around the patio. She drank her second shot more slowly, as she began to calm down.

----------

An couple of hours later—after we had all danced with too many people to count—Jacob and Molly were dancing together for the third or fourth time, and I found myself once again in Tristan's arms. At the end of the dance, he invited me to come meet his friends again. Knowing that Luke would probably be in that group, I hesitated.

"Are you okay?" Tristan asked.

"Yeah. I just… It didn't seem like Luke wanted to be anywhere near me," I admitted. "And I don't want to intrude—"

Tristan shook his head and chuckled. "That was about Molly, not you," he said then added, "They have some history."

I laughed with him. "So I've heard."

"So c'mon. I'll introduce you," he coaxed.

I bit my lower lip, wanting to go with him… wanting to see Luke again… And honestly, what did I have to lose? If Luke continued to ignore me, then I would know he wasn't interested in me. And I could give up on him. But if he didn't…

So I let Tristan lead me through the throng of people to a circle of chairs surrounding a little metal table where Luke sat with two other guys.

"Vanessa," Tristan said, "you know Luke."

"Hey," I said feeling silly, and he nodded silently, scowling at the bottle in his hand.

"This is Mike"—he gestured to the dark-haired stranger—"and Nate." That one was blond. They both raised a hand in greeting.

Tristan slid into the one empty chair, circled my wrist with his thumb and forefinger, tugged softly, and patted his leg with his other hand, saying, "Why don't you sit here with me, and we'll talk about the first thing that comes up."

Mike and Nate chuckled, and something in Tristan's tone made my cheeks flush.

_Another pick-up line?_

"Does that actually work on girls?" I asked, gently pulling my hand away and leaning against the table. And then I realized that I had put myself right in the middle of the cluster of guys. But with no empty chair in sight, there really wasn't any other choice—unless I took Tristan up on his offer. Which I had no intention of doing.

Tristan, Mike, and Nate all laughed, and Luke cracked a little smile before taking a sip of his beer.

"I guess not," Tristan said to more laughter.

"Hey," Mike suddenly said, leaning in to look more closely at my face. "Aren't you the girl with the red Monte?"

"Mm hmm," I answered, wishing I had some more water to quench the burn in my throat. He nudged Nate and grinned. And… Luke's scowl was back. "So which of you owns the blue Chevy?" I asked, guessing that Mike and Nate must've been with Luke at the gas station that day.

"That would be Luke," Nate said. "Do you actually _own_ the Monte?"

"I do," I said, resting my palms on the edge of the table. "My parents gave it to me for graduation."

Three whistles swirled around the table, and Luke finally looked up at me. His eyes bored into mine, almost as if he were trying to decide whether I was lying or not.

"I'm gonna get another beer," Tristan announced, standing. The three other guys each asked for a different brand of beer. Tristan nodded before he turned to me and offered, "What can I get you, Vanessa?"

"I'd like a bottle of water," I told him.

"Seriously," he said, sounding almost like Molly had earlier.

"Seriously," I repeated.

"You don't like beer, Vanessa?" Luke asked.

I felt a shiver run down my spine as he said my pseudonym.

"I don't drink," I answered. "And it's Nessie."

"How old are you, Nessie?" Tristan asked.

"Nineteen in a week."

Luke's eyes widened, and he took a long drink of his beer before he mumbled, "You don't look it."

I felt my cheeks flush. "I know," I said. "I guess I'm just a late bloomer." And I had to laugh because that was so far from the truth. "Most of the women in my family look younger than they are," I added, which was true—even in my mother's case.

My blush deepened as I watched Luke run his eyes over my body again. I had the fleeting thought that it should have made me uncomfortable, as it did when Mark had done the same thing. But it didn't. Somehow I _wanted_ him to look at me, and I was suddenly glad I had given in to Aunt Alice's urgings.

* * *

Do you remember the first real party you ever went to? Tell me about it! ;)


	8. Uncharted Territories

Disclaimer: SM owns the Twilight World, but I own Luke! hehe

Thanks to EchoesOfTwilight... the title for this one is all her! That's why I call her my Muse! :)

This chapter is actually Part 2 of the party. Hope you like it...

* * *

Chapter 8

Uncharted Territories

I watched Tristan walk away. His shoulders seemed to slump a little, and I heard him exhale heavily. In my peripheral vision, I saw the corner of Luke's mouth quirk up in a half smile that made my insides feel tingly. The music pulsing from the DJ's speakers was suddenly slower and gentler. Before I could talk myself out of it, I leaned toward Luke who had just set his empty bottle on the table. I set my hand over his and leaned in a little farther. He looked up at me, and I almost lost my courage.

"Dance with me?" I said, wanting it to sound like the girl who had grabbed Jacob when we walked in the door but hearing the hesitance in my tone. I still wasn't sure how he felt about me.

He nodded and stood up as the words of the song began. I straightened up, unsure of what I should do. Although I had danced with several guys during the last few hours, I had never _asked_ anyone to dance before. Did I wait for him to lead me out onto the makeshift dance floor? Should I take the lead?

He saved me from my momentary awkwardness by taking my right hand in his left and pulling me gently toward the throng of dancers. I was surprised when he stopped at the very edge of the crowd. Wrapping his muscular arms around my tiny waist, he pulled me close. I raised my arms to circle around his neck. We were nearly the same height, and it was so very comfortable, swaying to the rumba beat of the song. The mellow voice sang, "There's a racing within my heart," and I had to agree with him. Then he crooned, "And I am barely touching you."

Nothing could be further from the truth.

I couldn't remember ever dancing so closely with anyone before. Not tonight, and not when Daddy and Jake had taught me how to dance. And then Luke pulled me closer, cinching his arms even more tightly around my waist. I stiffened, but it felt so good that I immediately relaxed, allowing myself to lean slightly against his chest. I was tempted to rest my cheek on his shoulder as I saw many of the other girls do with their partners, but I thought that might be too forward considering that we'd never really even had a full conversation yet. I wanted to say something, but I didn't know what.

We continued to sway, turning in a slow circle, and I could tell when he smiled without looking. But I wanted to see it for myself, so I pulled back. He loosened his hold a tiny bit, and I mirrored his smile. After a couple of shuffle steps, I took a half-step closer to him and tightened my arms around his neck again. The song drew to its close, the singer repeating the word _insatiable_. I couldn't help but think that it was an apt description for my curiosity about Luke and my desire to dance with him.

The music quickly changed to a fast techno beat. Several of the dancers left the patio. Reluctantly, I stepped away from Luke and began to move back toward the table in the corner. I felt his hand still on my waist and smiled. I wanted to lean into him but wasn't sure if I should. Nothing in my short life had prepared me for the feelings I was now experiencing.

Before we had taken more than a couple of steps, I heard my name behind me and turned around with a smile.

"Jake! There you are."

"Hey," he said, "are you ready to go?"

I turned to look at Luke, biting my lower lip, reluctant to leave him.

"What time is it?" I asked Jacob. I had promised my parents we would be home by two o'clock at the latest. Surely it couldn't be that late already…

"It's almost one thirty," he said, and I fought the urge to groan my disappointment.

"Okay," I said, knowing I sounded almost whiny. Just when I finally got to dance with Luke, too. We still hadn't really talked. "I'll meet you at the front door," I told Jacob firmly, determined to say goodbye to Luke without an audience. Jake had barely glanced at Luke, but he was almost vibrating with tension. I hoped he wouldn't argue with me.

All he did was frown and nod, glancing one more time at Luke… in warning? I resisted the urge to smack him or kick him or at least shove him toward the door. He left then as Luke offered, "I can take you home later."

Although I was glad Jacob had come with me, in that moment I almost wished he hadn't. However, the alternative would've been to have ridden with Molly, and I couldn't see her leaving me here to go home with Luke.

"I'm driving," I told him. "Besides, my parents will be expecting me home soon." Luke didn't say anything. "I think we've stayed longer than Jake planned anyway," I babbled.

_Shut up, Ness!_

"Who _is_ Jake?" Luke asked, and I suddenly realized that I hadn't even introduced them. I wondered if Jacob remembered seeing Luke in my memory of Tristan's stupid pick-up lines at Daisy's. Luke's eyebrows had drawn together, and his eyes flashed with an emotion I couldn't put my finger on.

_Hmmm._

"A good friend of my family's," I explained. "I grew up with him."

He relaxed a little. I looked over my shoulder and saw Jacob waiting for me at the double doors. So much for saying goodbye without an audience…

"I need to go," I told Luke as I took a step toward where Jake waited.

"Can I see you again?" he said in a rush.

I took another step and nodded. "You know where to find me," I told him, grinning like an idiot.

Did he grimace?

"Can I call you?"

"Sure," I replied, feeling Jacob's gaze still on me. As much as I didn't want to, I took another step toward the doors.

"What's your number?" Luke asked, taking out his cell phone and tapping on the keypad.

I rattled off my number, and he typed it in. "I'll call you tomorrow," he said.

We had finally reached the French doors, and Jake was inside the house, just out of sight.

"Thanks for the dance, Luke," I said, smiling as I said his name aloud for the first time.

"My pleasure," he murmured softly, and I felt myself blush.

I raised my hand to wave farewell before I stepped away from him. I heard another slow song begin, and Jake's voice saying my name was the only thing that kept me from running back outside.

~ * ~

We made our way through the crowd of bodies in the house to the front door, Jacob's hand wrapped around my wrist so we wouldn't be separated. I asked him about Molly, and he told me that he had already told her we had to get going. And he said that she would call me the next morning; she wanted to catch up some more with Kristen.

"So who's Luke?" Jacob asked as we got in the car.

I started the engine and turned to face him. "How do you know his name?"

"I heard you thank him for the dance," he said, almost as if lecturing a five-year-old.

_Oh, yeah. He _was _inside the doorway._

"And Molly mentioned it," he added.

I cringed as I backed out of Kristen's yard and pulled onto the road.

"Yeah?"

"Mm hmm."

Why was Jake so close-mouthed all of a sudden? Talking to him had never been this difficult before.

"Did she say anything else about him?" I ventured.

"Just that they used to go out," he said. I breathed a sigh of relief before he mused, "But she seemed kind of upset about it."

_Crap!_

"Really?" I said, hoping I sounded concerned for Molly.

"Yeah. I'm guessing it was fairly recent. She didn't seem like she was totally over him yet."

"Hmm. Maybe she'll tell me more tomorrow," I said, hoping he would drop it.

No such luck.

"So how do _you_ know him?"

"He came into the diner one evening, _Dad_," I admitted. He grimaced, acknowledging my _Dad_ comment for what it was. I really didn't need him acting the part of concerned parent. If I began a relationship with Luke, I would have all the protective parenting I needed soon enough. My best friend didn't need to get in on the act, too.

Jacob was silent for a minute or two, and I kept my eyes on the road. Then he broke the silence with another question about Luke. "Isn't he a little old for you?"

"I have no idea," I said. "Just what _is_ too old for me?"

I could see him staring at me from the corner of my eye. Although I was chronologically almost six years old, intellectually and physiologically, I was much older. And this topic was uncharted territory for any of us.

Jacob didn't answer me.

Deciding the subject needed to be changed before he thought of another parental question, I asked, "So what do you think of Molly?"

"She's nice," he allowed, and I could tell from his tone that he was wondering why I had asked.

"You two danced a lot," I said.

"I guess so."

"Did you ask her out?"

"No!" He was clearly shocked. I couldn't imagine why.

"Are you going to?" I pressed, mildly surprised that _she_ hadn't asked _him_ out.

"No. Why?"

"She likes you," I told him, wondering if maybe I shouldn't have been so blunt about it. Surely he could tell that she was into him?

"Really?" he replied. I couldn't tell if he was actually curious or if it was just something to say.

"I think you should ask her out," I said.

"I don't."

"Why not? You said yourself she's nice."

He didn't say anything, just stared at me.

"She asked me about you," I told him, hoping I wasn't betraying my new friend. "When I told her I'd never seen you with a girlfriend, she actually asked if you were gay," I said.

He chuckled then, shaking his head.

"I don't need a girlfriend right now," Jake said.

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't date at all," I replied. "Nobody says you have to have a girlfriend. But I've never seen you date anyone. And there were plenty of girls at that party tonight who would've killed to—"

"Let it go," Jacob said under his breath as I pulled into the garage.

I glanced at him curiously as I shut off the engine. He looked really uncomfortable. It didn't make sense. I wondered if Momma would be able to shed some light on the subject. I decided to talk with her about it the next day.

"Are you okay?" I asked, getting out of the car.

"Yeah," he said, closing the door behind himself. "I just don't want to talk about it."

"Okay," I said with a shrug.

His face relaxed somewhat, but he still seemed tense as we walked into the house. He headed to the kitchen for a snack.

One drawback to having vampire parents: they would always be up when I got home. Daddy was playing Momma's lullaby as she curled up in a chair reading _Romeo & Juliet_ for the thousandth time. He glanced up but kept playing, a small smile playing around his lips. She stood up and gave me a hug, asking if I'd had a good time.

I placed my hand on her cheek and thought about most of the guys I had danced with, carefully avoiding thoughts of Luke. I wasn't sure how my memory of dancing with him would come across, but I didn't want to risk Daddy becoming suspicious if he seemed different from the rest. I laughed softly when Momma gasped at my recollection of Tristan's ridiculous pick-up line and even harder when Daddy turned his scowl my way and stopped playing.

"It was so silly," I said, reaching out to him and smoothing the crease in his brow. "That's just the way he is," I added. "It's harmless, really."

Momma laughed as Daddy continued to frown.

"Keep playing," she murmured to him. He turned back to the piano and started the song from the beginning. Although the scowl relaxed, his shoulders were still tense, and the tune lacked its customary gentleness.

"So you were pretty popular with the boys, hmm?"

I shrugged. "Not as popular as Jake was with the girls," I said with a chuckle. I heard a low growl from the kitchen.

_Guess that doesn't count as letting it go…_

Since I had already started the conversation, I showed them all the girls Jacob had danced with, starting with the first who had demanded he dance with her. Momma's eyebrows rose when she saw him dancing with Molly for the third time. She and Daddy exchanged a quick glance that I would've missed if I hadn't been watching, amused by her reaction. They seemed puzzled—almost worried—by Jacob spending so much time in Molly's company. I wanted to ask what the problem was, but I knew he would hear me, and I didn't know how he would react.

"So it looks like you both had fun," Momma commented, and I giggled when the refrigerator door slammed shut.

"Yeah," I said, letting my hand drop from her cheek. "I'm a little tired. I think I'm gonna go to bed."

"Okay, baby. I'll see you in the morning," Momma said, giving me another hug.

I kissed her cheek and skipped over to the piano to give Daddy a hug and kiss before heading up to my room. I glanced back at them from the doorway and couldn't help wishing that I could slip under my mother's shield to hear what they weren't saying out loud.

* * *

A/N: The song Nessie and Luke danced to is "Insatiable" by Darren Hayes (from Savage Garden). Mmmm!

Do you remember a special song? Maybe one you danced to for the first time with someone you were crushing on? (Mine would be Bryan Adams' "Heaven" and his name was Wade.)


	9. Friends & Fries

Thanks to everyone who recently asked, "So when are you going to update?" I love my readers!

As always, thanks to EchoesOfTwilight, my beta, my Muse, my friend! You keep me laughing--and sane!

I hope this was worth the wait...

* * *

Chapter 9

Friends & Fries

Sunday dawned bright and clear, the kind of day that kept my family inside—or at least, away from other people. Thankfully, it was the weekend, so whatever pursuits everyone had in mind wouldn't be adversely affected by the sunshine. If it were a weekday, Momma and Daddy would have skipped school, and my aunts, uncles, and grandparents would've closed up shop or called off sick. As it was, Grandpa and Grandma were already away, spending the weekend alone in some remote location known only to them and Aunt Alice; Uncle Em and Aunt Rose had gone camping; and Uncle Jasper and Aunt Alice were hunting in Canada. That left Momma, Daddy, Jacob, and me at home.

Sliding my phone into my pocket, I skipped down the stairs barefooted and found Momma in her usual spot, this time bookless and sitting in silence.

"Hi," I said quietly, reluctant to break the tranquility of the morning.

"Good morning," she said, reaching out a hand to me. I sank onto the ottoman where her feet rested.

"Can we go somewhere and talk?" I asked.

She stared at me for a moment, peering into my eyes. She touched her cheek in question, but I shook my head. This wasn't really something I could communicate in pictures. I needed straightforward conversation today.

She nodded and sprang lightly to her feet.

"Let's go for a run," she offered.

I followed her out the back door and off we went through the forest, not stopping until we were several miles away from the house.

"What's on your mind?" she questioned.

"Would you mind…?" I left my request unfinished, but she nodded and—not for the first time—I wished I could feel her shield as it settled around me, protecting my thoughts… just in case.

"Why doesn't Jacob date?" I asked baldly, surprising a gasp from my mother. Perhaps I should work on learning a little subtlety.

She took a deep breath before she replied, "I don't know that I'm the one to answer that, Ness." She looked at me for a moment and then inquired, "Why do you ask?"

I blew out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "Well, you know my friend, Molly?"

She nodded.

"She really likes Jake, and you saw them dancing together…"

Another nod.

"But when I asked him if he had asked her out, he seemed… shocked… and almost upset that I even suggested it. It doesn't make sense. And he said he thinks she's nice." I couldn't seem to stop myself from babbling. "Did you know she asked me if he's gay? But I know he's not," I continued, without waiting for an answer. "So why wouldn't he ask her out? I mean, if he likes her and all…"

"Ness, stop." Momma held up her hand, and my word vomit finally ceased. "I'm sure he has his reasons," she said softly. "But like I said, it's really not for me to say. Why don't you ask him?"

"I _did_," I returned. "But he told me to let it go; he didn't want to talk about it."

Momma nodded, almost as if she had expected that response. "Maybe he just wasn't ready to say—"

"You know, don't you? But you won't tell me."

I bit my bottom lip to keep it from pouting outward.

"It's not for me to say," she said again. "When he's ready, I'm sure he'll tell you about it."

"Is it because he got his heart broken once before?" I asked.

She gave me a strange look then replied, "It's connected. Loosely."

I sighed in frustration. I hated not knowing things. But I guess I could understand. I had been angry when Aunt Alice spilled about the party before I was ready to talk about it. And that was just a little thing. This seemed to be more serious, and I knew I wouldn't appreciate anyone prying into my life like I was trying to pry into Jacob's.

"Okay. I guess I'll just wait, then."

She smiled and touched my cheek. "Growing up can be difficult, I know." She looked like she was going to say something else, but then her gaze dropped to my pocket where my phone had begun to vibrate.

I slid it out and open and said, "Hi, Molly."

"_Nessie, I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye when you left."_

"It's okay. Jake said you were catching up with Kristen."

Momma pointed toward the house, and I nodded before she took off to return home, leaving me alone for my conversation.

"_So did you have a good time last night? Did you meet anyone interesting?"_

How to answer that… Did it count when I had already met him at the diner? Because there was really no one else at the party as interesting to me as Luke was. But I knew Molly wouldn't be happy about that… for whatever reason.

"Um… I danced with a couple of nice guys," I said.

"_Anybody ask you out?"_ she quizzed.

Did Luke asking, "Can I see you again?" count as asking me out?

"Not really," I hedged, adding quickly, "But I didn't really expect anyone to. I mean, I didn't really know anybody there…"

"_That's true,"_ she said. _"But you did have fun, right?"_

"Yes, definitely!" That I could answer honestly.

"_Good."_ She paused and then said, _"Kristen thought you were cool. She said maybe the three of us should hang out sometime soon. What do you think?"_

I couldn't keep the smile from my face. "Sounds good to me." I had no idea what they had in mind for "hanging out," but girl time sounded like a fun, normal thing to do. I couldn't wait!

"_Great! Well, listen, I need to get going. I have some stuff I have to take care of this morning, but I'll talk to you soon, okay?"_

"Sure, sure. Thanks for calling, Molly."

We said our goodbyes, and I pressed the END key on my phone before sliding it back in my pocket. I started walking back the way Momma and I had come, not in any hurry to get back home. I let my thoughts drift, remembering last night and the feel of dancing with Luke and the way he pulled me closer and how his voice sounded when he said my name for the first time and the smile on his face as he punched my number into his phone.

I shook my head, snapping myself out of my reverie. It wouldn't do to have these thoughts when I got closer to home. Especially if Momma wasn't shielding Daddy from my thoughts.

My thoughts strayed to Jake again and his reaction when I had asked him about Molly. It still didn't make any sense. And although I had told Momma I would be patient and wait for him to explain it to me, I was twisted up with curiosity. It didn't seem natural. I mean, he had admitted that he thought she was nice, and anyone could see that she was a pretty and smart girl. If those weren't the qualities he was looking for in a girl, then what were? I couldn't figure it out. And it was driving me crazy!

I was about two hundred yards from the house when my phone began to vibrate again. I slid it out of my pocket and glanced down at the display. I didn't recognize the number, but I flipped it open anyway.

"Hello?"

"_Vanessa?"_

Did my heart just stop beating?

My brain raced, trying to think of something clever to say, but all I could come up with was, "I thought I told you to call me 'Nessie.'"

Luke chuckled. _"Fair enough. Nessie."_

I smiled. And shivered.

"_So what are you up to today?"_

"Just walking in the woods by my house," I said.

"_How 'bout going for a drive with me? Maybe we can stop somewhere and get a bite to eat."_

Human food. Ew!

"Sure. Sounds great!" I rolled my eyes.

"_So I'll pick you up in a half hour?"_

Oh, right. Dates come pick you up at your house, don't they? And meet your parents. Uh oh. But my "parents" were away for the weekend. Would it look odd if he came over and only my "brother," his "girlfriend," and my best friend were at the house? I hadn't really thought of all this before.

So I countered, "Why don't I meet you somewhere, and we can go for a drive after we eat? I'm kind of hungry right now," I lied, trying to sound convincing. He was quiet for a few seconds, so I added, "Besides, my house is kind of far from town and hard to find."

"_Well… okay,"_ he finally agreed.

"Where should I meet you?"

"_You know where Joe's is?"_

"Sure." It was Shirley's biggest competition, the other diner on Main Street.

"_See you there in thirty."_

"Okay," I agreed.

And he hung up.

I allowed myself one excited squeal, nearly dropping my phone as I jumped up and down, before the enormity of what I'd just done came crashing down on me. Now I had to go home and explain to my parents that I was going out on a date—_my first date!_—and that they weren't even going to meet the guy before I went out with him.

Oh, this was going to go over well…

I knew they would've heard me talking, arranging to meet _someone_. But maybe, if I was lucky, they hadn't heard his voice, and I could pretend I was going to meet Molly. Could I be that lucky? It was worth a try.

I put my phone in my pocket and jogged back to the house and up the porch steps. I closed the door quietly behind me and tiptoed toward the stairs. I had just set my foot on the bottom step when Jake came sauntering into the room, wiping his lips and swallowing the last bite of … whatever he'd just eaten.

"Why are you sneaking around the house, Ness?" he asked, smirking at me.

"I'm not sneaking around," I said, blushing.

"Okay." He didn't believe me. "Where are you going?"

"To change clothes. Momma and I went for a run earlier and I think I might have torn something." It sounded plausible, right?

"Mm hmm."

"What is your problem, Jake?"

He shrugged. I turned to go up the stairs before he could quiz me anymore. I made it to my room and stripped out of my clothes which, now that I looked at them, were a little the worse for wear after my run. No tears or holes, but a few smudges here and there.

I changed quickly, picking out a pair of jeans and a close-fitting white sweater with a low, square neckline. I tugged a pair of short, brown leather boots on my feet and ran a brush through my curls. I was ready.

Not quite running back downstairs, I skimmed my hand over the banister, and came to an abrupt halt when I saw my parents standing in the living room.

"Oh, hey," I said, hoping I sounded casual. "I'm going out for a little while. I'll be back later."

Daddy raised his eyebrows. "Where are you going?"

"Just for a drive."

"And to get something to eat?" Momma asked.

"Well, I'm meeting a friend. I doubt if I'll eat anything," I said, wrinkling my nose.

"'Why don't I meet you somewhere, and we can go for a drive after we eat?'" Daddy quoted. "'I'm kind of hungry right now.'"

_Oh, dear._

I shrugged. "What was I supposed to say? My friend is human. Humans eat. We do have to keep up appearances, right?" I glanced from Daddy to Momma and back. "If I have to do it, I guess I will. It's no big deal, right?"

Momma looked at Daddy and shrugged. "You ate pizza for me," she reminded him.

He grimaced and wrinkled his nose. "Yes, and it was disgusting," he replied.

She chuckled.

"When will you be back?" Daddy asked.

"A couple hours? I don't really know," I admitted.

"Ness…"

"I'll call you if I'm going to be later than that, okay?" I offered, stepping toward the door.

"That's fair enough," Momma said, putting her hand on Daddy's arm.

For a second, he looked like he was going to protest, but then he nodded his agreement.

"I'll see you later," I said, heading for the kitchen and the door to the garage.

I had just opened the door when I heard behind me, "Who are you meeting?"

_Oh, crap!_

"It's just a friend," I threw behind me, racing to my car and starting the engine before the garage door was all the way up. I pulled out and whipped around, hoping I would be fast enough to—but who was I kidding? My father was a _vampire_, for crying out loud! I had barely sped out of the driveway when he landed lightly on the hood and I slammed on the brakes. He hopped off and pulled open my door before I had time to put my hand over my heart where it was trying to pound its way out of my chest.

"Renesmee Carlie Cullen."

That was all he said.

It was all he needed to say.

And I knew I just should have been honest with them from the beginning.

I got out and leaned against the car. "His name is Luke," I admitted, cringing inside.

Daddy's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head. "Luke," he repeated.

"Yes."

"As in…"

"Yes."

"I thought you didn't even know him," Momma said from behind Daddy.

"I didn't."

"And you said you weren't planning to go out with him."

"I wasn't."

"Then how—"

"He was at the party last night. We danced. He asked for my number. He called and wants me to meet him for 'a bite to eat' and a drive. It's no big deal."

_Right._

"And why isn't he coming here to pick you up and meet your parents?"

For a vampire with a very quick brain, Daddy sure was slow sometimes. But I thought it best not to point that out to him. Instead, I simply reminded him, "Because my _parents_ are away for the weekend, and they left me home with my little brother and his girlfriend." I sighed as his eyes narrowed even further. "You can meet him when Grandpa and Grandma are back. Appearances, remember?"

"Were you this much trouble for your parents?" Daddy asked Momma.

She was trying not to laugh as she shook her head at him.

"At least tell me something about him," Daddy said. It was a request, not a demand.

What could I safely say? After all, I didn't know much about him myself.

"He drives a blue Chevy pickup. And he likes hamburger, fries, and chocolate cake," I said. "And he smells nice."

"And…"

"And, what?"

"How old is he? What does he do for a living? What's his last name?"

"I don't know, I don't know, and Westbrook." Shirley had mentioned his last name that day she warned me away from him and Tristan, so I could give him one of the three.

"Renesmee Car—"

I held my hand up. "Please," I said. "I love my namesakes, but do you really have to keep pulling out the full name?"

Daddy huffed in exasperation and demanded, "You expect me to let you go out on a date with someone we've never met and you don't even know how old he is? Are you out of your mind, Ness?"

"Yes, and no. I will be fine, Daddy. Please, trust me?"

"Ness…"

"I'm growing up, Daddy. Let me grow up. What's the worst that could happen to me? Don't answer that," I added when he scowled. What could I say that would make him back off? "Molly knows him," I blurted out, hoping Jake wouldn't show up and expound on that little tidbit.

He seemed about to relent, looking from me to Momma and back again.

"I'll call you in an hour," I promised. "Please?"

"Edward." We both turned to look at Momma. She smiled and touched his cheek. "She's a big girl. She can handle herself."

Daddy pulled her to his side and turned back to me. "One hour," he said firmly.

"One hour," I agreed. "Thank you!"

I gave them both hugs and got back in my car, speeding off down the lane as they stood looking after me. I pulled out my phone and scrolled to the Received Calls screen. Punching the SEND button, I held it to my ear and waited for Luke to pick up. He did on the third ring.

"_Hey, where are you?"_

"I'm sorry. I got held up. Family crisis," I said.

"_Is everything okay?"_

"Yeah, it was just my d- dumb little brother," I said. "I'm on my way though, so I'll see you in a few minutes, okay?"

"_I'll be here."_

"Okay. Bye."

And he hung up again.

~*~

I parked behind Joe's, the little diner a few spaces down from Daisy's. Although I hoped Shirley hadn't seen me drive past, I knew that the loud rumble from the Monte Carlo's engine would've given me away. I just hoped I wouldn't get the third degree from her on Monday. But who was I kidding? I seemed to be blessed with an overabundance of overly concerned parental figures lately.

Slipping through the front door, I glanced up wondering if all diners had the same annoying little bell that rang every time someone came in or went out. I turned when I heard my name and saw Luke sitting at a table in the far corner. We smiled at each other, and I crossed the distance between us and sat down.

"Hey," I said, "sorry I'm so late."

He shrugged. "You sure everything's okay?"

"Sure, sure." I nodded. "Like I said, it's just my annoying little brother. He wanted to know where I was going and when I would be back and who I was gonna be with."

Luke chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. "Sounds like a dad."

"He's worse than my dad. I guess it's because we're adopted; he feels really protective of me," I explained.

"Fair enough." He slid a menu across the table at me. "So you hungry?"

"Mmm. What's good here?"

"Everything."

_That's so not helpful._

"What are you having?"

He glanced down at the menu and said, "A hamburger, fries, and a coke."

"With chocolate cake for dessert?" I teased.

Luke laughed and winked at me. "I thought I'd have some chocolate ice cream instead. Daisy's has the best cake around."

"So I've heard."

Just then a waitress showed up at our table, asking for our orders. Luke told her what he wanted, and I said, "I'll have the same, but can I have it rare, please?"

She looked at me quizzically but jotted it down on the ticket and left.

"Rare?" Luke asked as we waited for our drinks.

I nodded, unsure what to say.

"You're not like other girls, Nessie."

_You have _no_ idea._

"I guess so." I twisted my fingers together, feeling awkward.

"It's cool," Luke said.

I looked up and saw him watching me closely. His eyes, a beautiful green shade, stared boldly into mine, and I couldn't look away.

"So tell me about yourself."

My mind had gone blank. I couldn't remember what my cover story was. Thankfully, the waitress showed up with our drinks then, and I was snapped out of my trance. I took a sip of my coke, trying not to cringe as the bubbles fizzed their way down my throat.

I took a deep breath and finally answered him, "My father is a doctor, and my mother is an interior designer. You know I have a younger brother—" I grinned at the absurdity of that "—but I also have several adopted siblings."

"Several?"

"Five."

His eyes grew wide and he whistled softly.

"Mom can't have kids," I explained. "Edward, Bella, and I are the youngest in the family."

"Edward and Bella?"

"My brother and his girlfriend."

"Your brother and his—girlfriend? Who is also your sister?"

I laughed. "I know it sounds strange when you say it like that. But they were already dating when she joined the family." Thinking of his reaction if he knew they were actually married made me smile. "She and her siblings lost their parents, and mine took them in."

Luke just shook his head. "So how old are they?"

"Sixteen."

"And you're almost nineteen?"

"Mm hmm. On the tenth." I wondered briefly if my family had planned a celebration. Aunt Alice and Aunt Rose often staged faux birthday parties for me to add to the fabricated photo album of my growing up years. We hadn't had one in a while though. "How old are you?" I asked, remembering Daddy's quizzing from earlier.

"I'll be twenty-one in a few months. Can I take you out for your birthday?"

"Um… I'll have to see if my family has anything planned," I hedged. I glanced down at my watch and saw that it had been a little over an hour since I had left the house. "Would you excuse me for a second?" I asked, pulling out my phone.

It began to vibrate. Of course.

I grimaced as I flipped it open. "Hello, Edward."

"_It's been over an hour."_

"Calm down. I was just going to call you."

"_Where are you, Ness?"_

"Still in town. Having lunch."

"_When will you be home?"_

"I don't know. I'll call you later, okay?"

"_Renes—"_

"Do you need me to pick anything up before I come home?" I asked, cutting him off. "No? Okay. Bye."

And I flipped it shut and slid it back in my pocket. It immediately started to vibrate, but I didn't answer it.

"So… where were we?"

Luke laughed, and we both sat back as the waitress set our plates in front of us.

"You were about to agree to let me take you out for your birthday," Luke said, pouring ketchup on his plate and swirling a French fry into the thick, red puddle.

"I'll get back to you on that," I said, picking up my burger.

I closed my eyes and sank my teeth into it, cutting quickly through the bread and meat. It wasn't nearly as satisfying as biting into the hot skin and muscle of a deer or mountain lion. And although I could feel a trickle of blood from the rare meat slide down my throat, I had to admit that it didn't taste nearly as delicious as a fresh kill or—even better—the donated human blood that Grandpa sometimes brought home as a treat for me.

As human food went, it was the best I'd ever had… if one could get past the pasty taste of the bread and the strange, watery crunch of the lettuce. But I would choke it down… for appearances.

We ate quickly, neither of us saying much. When the waitress finally came back to collect our plates, Luke requested a bowl of chocolate ice cream and looked at me expectantly. I nodded, trying to hide my reluctance.

A few minutes later, the waitress came back with our desserts, and I took a small bite as Luke dug into his with enjoyment. It was cold and creamy; in a way it reminded me of the formula I had once been force-fed as an infant, but with a sweeter, richer flavor. I wasn't sure I disliked it, but I wasn't sure I really liked it, either. I took another bite, letting it melt on my tongue and slip down my throat. It eased some of the burn I had been trying to ignore since I had come into the diner.

Luke had already finished his ice cream before I'd taken a fifth bite. He started to ask me questions again, and I answered between bites. As I scraped the last bite from the bottom of the bowl, I had the strangest sense of not-quite-déjà vu. Was _this_ what I had dreamed about? Had it been a premonition, not a dream?

I was distracted from my thoughts when Luke stood up and dropped some money on the table. He looked down at me and asked, "Are you ready to go?"

I glanced at my watch, realizing that we had been here for almost two hours. Where had the time gone? I felt my phone vibrate again and knew without looking that it would be my father wondering when I would be home.

"Um… can I take a rain-check on the drive?" I asked.

Luke scowled slightly.

"I actually do need to get home. I think my family had plans this afternoon," I improvised.

"Call me later?" he asked.

I nodded and smiled. "And thanks for lunch."

"No problem." He looked like he wanted to say something more but settled for, "I'll talk to you later."

"Okay."

I waved as the little bell tinkled over my head. I went around back and got in my car as my phone vibrated once again. I answered it this time.

"I'm on my way home," I said before Daddy had a chance to ask.

"Good," was all he said.

I snapped the phone shut and eased onto the road, not anxious in any way for Parental Inquisition Number Two.

* * *

What do you remember about _your_ first date?


	10. Inquisitions & iPods

**A/N:** Special thanks to EchoesOfTwilight for her inspiration and vast catalog of awesome musical selections. Also thanks to wuogkat for being there to help when I got stuck, for the title, and just for her general encouragement!

* * *

Chapter 10

Inquisitions & iPods

On my way home, I had decided that offense was the best defense, so I parked my Monte in the garage and walked quickly into the house. I kept my eyes on my father and stepped right up to my mother and held my hand to her cheek. I replayed the entire date for them, laughing with them over my reactions to the food I had eaten. Daddy scowled a bit when I agreed to call Luke later today, but he didn't say anything. It made me wonder what Momma had said to him while I was gone.

"So you've had your first date," Momma said when the show was over.

I hummed my agreement and smiled.

"Anything else you want to know?" I asked, still looking at my father.

"That's what took two hours?" he asked. I just shrugged. "So he's almost twenty-one. I'm not sure—"

"I'm almost nineteen," I countered.

"Not really," he shot back.

"Might as well be," I insisted.

"Renesmee—"

"Edward."

He just glared. And growled softly.

"I know. Sorry. But I don't like the way you've been saying my name lately."

The crease between his eyes slowly relaxed, and he held out his arms to me. "I know. I'm sorry, too," he said as I stepped into his embrace. "I'm just worried about you. You may be physiologically almost nineteen, but you just don't have any practical experience with men, and I—"

I stopped the flow of his words with a hand held an inch from his face. "I know. We've been through this before." I sighed and squeezed him tightly. "You just have to trust me."

"I trust _you_, Ness. It's him I don't—"

"Don't say it."

"—know," he finished. I wasn't sure if that's what he had originally intended to say, but he continued with, "How can I really trust someone I don't know?"

I sighed. "I meant you have to trust me to be able to handle whatever comes," I said. "Please?"

He just looked at me for a long time. In that moment, I would've given _anything_ to know what he was thinking… remembering… planning.

"I'll try," he finally offered, hugging me close.

"So he wants to take you out for your birthday?" Momma said, abruptly changing the subject.

I smiled at her in thanks and replied, "It looks that way."

She and Daddy exchanged a look. "Well, you might want to check with your Aunt Alice. She may have other plans."

"I know. That's why I wouldn't give him a straight answer."

"Wouldn't give _who_ a straight answer?" the aunt in question asked, gliding up beside me.

"Her boyfriend," Daddy said, a smile twisting his lips.

I stared at him, dumbfounded, unable to protest his almost sneering estimation of Luke's place in my affections. But he knew. He would read it in my thoughts.

Uncle Jasper grimaced at the emotional turmoil in the room. "Edward," he said, somewhat reprovingly. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and squeezed. I was instantly comforted, both by his physical presence and by his gift.

"I know," my father said, relenting. "But can't I even tease her about it? After all, she did just have her first date… with her first crush."

I rolled my eyes as everyone laughed, and the tension immediately loosened. I knew it was largely due to my empathic uncle, but I was grateful for it all the same.

"His name is Luke, he's almost twenty-one, he took me out to eat today, and he wants to take me out for my birthday," I recapped for Alice and Jasper, although I was pretty sure she had already seen most of it for herself.

"Well, he'll have to get in line," Alice said, her eyes twinkling. "Unless you want to invite him to your birthday party."

I shook my head and glanced at my parents. "No. I've only been out with him once. Aren't party invites for more serious relationships?"

"Of course," she said, ruffling my hair. "I couldn't resist teasing you a little myself," she added with a shrug.

"Okay, so if everyone is through teasing me..." I let my sentence trail off as they all chuckled. "How was Canada?"

Aunt Alice gave a little skip and recounted their hunting trip, telling us briefly about the bull moose she had taken down and the bears Jasper had bagged. We all knew the conversation was trifling, but it neatly deflected the attention away from me, and that was all I cared about at that moment.

And then Jake came back.

"How was your date?" he asked casually, and I cringed as all eyes flew back to me.

"It was fine," I said, turning on my heel and retreating up to my bedroom.

"What did I say?" I heard behind me, but I tuned out the rest of the conversation and pulled out my iPod and earbuds, flopping down on my bed. The first song on my "Frustration" playlist began with grinding guitars and scattered drum beats before mellowing slightly with a sweet yet powerful voice. I let the first words wash over me, not taking them in, just hearing.

But then the lyrics broke through my consciousness.

_I lie awake and try so hard  
__Not to think of you  
__But who can decide what they dream?  
__And dream I do..._

I quickly pressed the side of the click-wheel that would take me to the next song, banishing thoughts of the dream I'd had and its fulfillment this afternoon, along with his smile and the way his hair brushed against his collar.

The pulsing guitars and echoing cymbals of the new tune matched my mood, and I felt myself twitch slightly as Jared Leto's husky voice filtered into my ears, urgent and needy.

_Here we are searching for a sign  
Here we are searching for a sign  
It's the end here today  
But I will build a new beginning  
Take some time, find a place  
And I will start my own religion_

I closed my eyes to try to absorb it completely, but it wasn't enough. I flitted across the room, docked my iPod in its station, and pressed the button. The song restarted, and I lay back down on my bedspread. My eyes drifted shut again as the music and words seeped into my pores, surrounding me in a cocoon of... serenity.

Strange how a song that was so anything-_but_-calm could bring me peace. But it did.

I heard the door open, the softest _swish_ under the pulse of the music. And his scent filled the room as completely as the guitars and drums and vocals.

"Ness?"

"Jake," I said quietly, acknowledging his presence but not really inviting conversation.

I felt his weight and warmth at the edge of my bed. And still I kept my eyes closed. He didn't say anything for a long time. The song changed, new guitars leading into the liquid female vocal and pounding drums.

_How can I decide what's right  
__When you're clouding up my mind?  
__I can't win your losing fight  
__All the time._

_Not gonna ever own what's mine  
__When you're always taking sides,  
__You won't take away my pride.  
__No, not this time...  
__Not this time._

I finally opened one eye to peek at him. He was watching me, just waiting. I nodded to the iPod on its shelf, and he rose to turn the music down.

"Sorry," I said. It wasn't his fault I hadn't wanted to talk about my date anymore. He had missed the conversation before, so he hadn't known.

He shrugged and came back to sit on my bed. I sat up and made more room for him. He rested one leg on the floor, the other curled in front of him, his elbows resting loosely on his thighs.

"Want to talk about it now? With me?"

It was my turn to shrug. I stretched out my hand, offering him the same show I had given my parents. He shook his head.

"Talk to me?"

I pulled my pillow onto my lap, stalling, wondering what to say. I was so used to _showing_ my family my memories and thoughts. Why was he insisting that I talk?

I shrugged again.

"It was..." How to describe it? "Different."

He cocked an eyebrow at me. "Different, how?"

"Well, he took me out to lunch. I ate a hamburger," I told him, scrunching up my nose. "And chocolate ice cream."

"Like in your dream?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Weird, huh?"

"A little. So what are you? Some kind of fortune teller, too?"

I shoved his shoulder and shook my head. But I whispered, "Who knows."

Sometimes little things like this cropped up, things that set me apart from the others. Evidence of multiple gifts, unlike what the others had. And even though one time didn't mean it really _was_ another gift, I wasn't fully comfortable with it.

"Hey," he said, stroking my arm lightly, "I was just teasing."

I grimaced at that word again. I had had enough teasing for one day. "Don't," I said.

He pulled me into his arms and whispered my name against my hair, his cheek resting lightly on my head. I clung to him, my arms wrapped around his waist, our upper bodies practically melded together. I was at the point of crawling into his lap like a real five-year-old might have when he kissed the top of my head and set me back from him, his hands on my upper arms. He squeezed once and then let me go.

"So are you gonna see him again? Or was this a one-time thing?" His tone puzzled me, and he cleared his throat almost nervously.

"Well," I began with another shrug, "he wants to take me out for my birthday."

"I'll bet the pixie had something to say about that."

I nodded and told him what Aunt Alice had said. He chuckled and shifted the subject by asking me what I wanted for my birthday. Although my birthday was only a week away, I hadn't given much thought to presents. Even now, I couldn't really think of anything I wanted. I told Jake as much.

"Yeah," he said, "what do you get for the girl who already has everything?"

I laughed with him and tried to ignore the way his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. We talked for a couple more minutes, and then he moved to turn my music back up before he left. As soon as the door shut behind him, I got up to switch to my "Mellow" playlist.

I spent the next hour or so lying on my bed, just listening to music and thinking of nothing in particular.

~ * ~

When the sun had dipped below the horizon, blanketing the house in soft twilight, I decided it was time to make a phone call. I switched off my iPod, leaving it docked, and pulled my door shut behind me. I listened for the sounds of my family. Everyone seemed to be cloistered in their own sections of the house, so I skimmed my way down the stairs and out into the backyard where I met my grandparents returning from their weekend away. I greeted them each with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, promising to return soon.

As soon as I was far enough away to avoid any supernatural eavesdropping, I pulled out my phone, settled cross-legged in the grass, and scrolled to the number I wanted. He answered on the third ring.

"_Nessie."_

"Hey, Luke." And… what did I say from there? I had promised I would call him, but what did we talk about now?

_Please say something._

"_So what did you do today?"_ he asked, and I thought I heard springs in the background, as if he were lying in bed and shifting to get more comfortable.

"I spent the day laying on my bed, listening to music," I replied. "You?"

"_What music?"_ he asked, ignoring my question.

"Oh, this and that."

"_Like…?"_

He was really interested? Well, ok.

"Um… Evanescence, Paramore, 30 Seconds to Mars—"

"_Whoa. Who pissed you off?"_

I couldn't help but laugh. He was obviously familiar with the angsty style of those artists. Rather than answer his question though, I named a few of the artists from my "Mellow" playlist. I could almost feel his smile.

"_So you like older stuff, huh?"_

"And some new music," I said, naming a few more contemporary artists.

I heard the squeak of springs in the background again.

"Where are you?" I asked without thinking.

"_Laying in bed, listening to music, and talking to you,"_ he returned, his words tinged with laughter. _"Where are you? It sounds quiet."_

I smiled. To a human, it would sound quiet. But I could hear every bird, mammal, and insect around me. The swish of the grass beneath me was even loud to my ears.

"I'm in a field away from my house."

"_Really? Why?"_

"Little brothers have keen ears," I said.

"_Hmmm. I'll bet they do."_

"So what are _you_ listening to?"

He named a song by a group that my grandpa Charlie listened to, and I couldn't resist teasing him just a little.

"So _now_ who likes the old stuff?"

He chuckled and admitted that he was a fan of Classic Rock.

"That's cool. I can deal with that," I said.

"You can _deal_ with it? What is that?"

I smiled at his playful tone. "Well," I answered, still teasing, "at least it's better than Bluegrass."

"Oh, man. _Anything_ is better than Bluegrass!"

"Well, almost," I allowed.

We talked a little longer about music, each sharing favorite artists and songs and finding that we liked a lot of the same music. His tastes ran a little rougher than mine, but I could appreciate the artists he admired.

When the moon had risen halfway into the sky, my phone pulsed with a barely audible tone, alerting me that I had a text message. I held the device away from my ear to see who had messaged me and rolled my eyes.

Still listening to Luke's side of the conversation, I clicked to view my father's text.

_Ness, come home, please._ –Edward, 10:32 pm

Well, at least he'd said "please."

As soon as there was a pause in the conversation, I said, "Hey, Luke, I need to get going."

"Yeah? How come?"

"I have to get up early," I improvised and even threw in a quiet yawn.

"Okay. I guess I should get some sleep, too," he allowed.

"I've really enjoyed talking with you," I said.

He chuckled and said, "You sound so formal, Nessie."

I could feel the blush heat my cheeks and was glad he couldn't see it. "Sorry," I murmured.

"No problem. Listen, I'll call you tomorrow," he said. "When's good for you?"

I wasn't sure exactly why, but I told him that I would be busy most of the day and that I worked the evening shift at Daisy's. "You can call me after work… if it's not too late for you."

"Okay. I'll call you tomorrow night."

"Okay. Goodnight."

He made a little humming sound before he said, "It has been already. Sweet dreams, Nessie."

"You, too," I said and reluctantly folded my phone shut.

I jogged back to the house and was met on the back porch by my father. He sat in one of Grandma Esme's lawn chairs, hands folded casually in his lap.

"Do I have a curfew now?" I asked, trying to keep the ire out of my voice.

"You do need to sleep," he said, not really answering my question.

Rather than start another potential argument, I just nodded and walked toward the back door, but his voice stopped me.

"What did you talk about?"

I turned to look at him, wondering why he was prying into my conversation with Luke.

"Just curious," he answered my unspoken question.

"Music," I said. "He likes Classic Rock."

Daddy nodded wordlessly.

"Goodnight, Daddy," I said, my hand on the door handle.

"'Night, Ness."

I went inside and up to my room, feeling a little like a prisoner in a very luxurious cell.

_

* * *

_

Just in case you didn't recognize them, the lyrics in this chapter are from "Taking Over Me" by Evanescence, "End of the Beginning" by 30 Seconds to Mars, and "Decode" by Paramore. (I know… I couldn't help myself!)

_What's your favorite playlist called and who's on it?_


	11. Party of Ten

**A/N:** So you probably thought I had given up on this first fic of mine, didn't you? Not so, dear readers. It's just that some contests and RL stuff got in the way and drowned out Nessie's voice for a while. Yeah, I know, it's been about seven months or so since I last updated. I feel like I should do a "Previously, on _Mars Rising…_"

So just in case you don't remember, Nessie was pissed at all the busy-bodies she lives with and trying to escape into her music. She and Jake had a little heart-to-heart; later that night she and Luke had a getting-to-know-you chat. And Dadward called her home…

* * *

Chapter 11

Party of Ten

The next week flew by. Luke and I talked almost every day, and he took me to lunch again before my shift at Daisy's on Thursday. I managed to choke down another extra-rare hamburger with a smile on my face, and before I knew it, it was Sunday.

"Happy Birthday to you," Aunt Alice sang, peeking her head around my bedroom door.

I groaned, rolling over and burying my face in my pillow. She chuckled softly and told me to take a shower, get dressed, and come downstairs. I glanced at my watch, which sat on the bedside table. At least she had allowed me to sleep in this morning. It was almost noon, and while I didn't usually stay in bed so late, I was grateful for the extra sleep today. I had stayed up pretty late last night talking on the phone. Sometimes I wished I had inherited my parents' ability to not need sleep, but the truth was that I needed an average of eight hours every night. Today Aunt Alice had given me almost ten.

Even though living in a house full of vampires who never sleep and can hear everything you whisper can definitely have its down sides (like them _knowing_ I was up til almost one o'clock talking to Luke), it also meant that I never needed an alarm clock. I had eight of them.

I wasn't sure what my family had planned for my birthday, but I knew that Aunt Alice had planned everything early to allow me to go out later with Luke. He had been really excited when I had told him we had the evening to ourselves, but I still didn't know what _he_ had planned either. It seemed like everyone had surprises in store for me this year.

I was in and out of the shower fairly quickly. When I came back into my bedroom, I saw my clothes for the day laid out over my neatly tucked bedspread: jeans, a long-sleeved thermal knit shirt, and sturdy boots. It appeared we would be spending my birthday out of doors.

I slipped downstairs to find my whole family waiting for me in the living room. I made my way around the loose circle they formed, hugging each in turn and accepting their birthday wishes.

"We would've made you a birthday cake," Aunt Rose said, "but we know you don't like it, and none of _us_ would eat it, so…"

"Hey!" Jake protested.

"We can pile up some dog food outside for you, Mutt," Aunt Rose snapped back.

Everyone chuckled, more than used to the verbal wrangling between them.

"So, Aunt Alice," I said, bouncing slightly on my toes, "what's on the agenda for today?"

"You'll see," she teased, taking my hand and leading me out to Uncle Emmett's monster Jeep. Everyone else followed, piling into the various vehicles in the garage, Jake squeezing in beside me. He held his hands loosely over my eyes as Uncle Emmett drove, expertly navigating the twists and turns.

All the way there—wherever _there_ was—I kept asking for clues or hints as to what Alice had planned. No one would tell me anything. Not even Jake. Only that I would love it.

After a relatively short drive, which I knew would take a normal person a few hours to travel, we pulled to a stop, and Jake finally took my blinders away. We were at an airstrip in the middle of nowhere, but there was a small plane parked on the runway, waiting for us.

Uncle Jasper and Aunt Rose climbed into the cockpit, and Aunt Alice skipped over to the side of the plane as Uncle Jasper pulled the sliding door up to let us board. "After you, birthday girl," she said, gesturing like a game-show hostess.

The inside of the plane was plain and unfurnished. Obviously we weren't going for a pleasure ride. When everyone was in and seated, my parents each held out two backpack-shaped bundles, one to me and the other to Jake.

"Strap these on," Daddy said.

I fumbled a little as we took off into the air, and he took over for me, deftly locking me into the web of straps and buckles.

"Alright!" Jake crowed, pulling his pack on tightly.

"Um, why don't any of you have…"

"We don't need them, sweetheart," Momma said. "Indestructible, remember?"

"Sky diving?" I asked, my voice sounding smaller than I had intended.

Aunt Alice's brow furrowed for an instant before smoothing out with her smile. "You _do_ like it, don't you?"

"Um… I'll tell you when I reach the ground?"

She laughed softly, patting me on the shoulder.

"Just hold my hand, Ness," Jake said, all smiles.

I took a deep breath and asked, "What gave you this idea, Aunt Alice?"

"Well, it was something you'd never done before, so I thought it might be fun. Of course, I couldn't tell for sure," she added with a mock glare in Jake's direction.

He held his hands up, palms facing outward. She cuffed him lightly on his shoulder, and he pretended to rub it in agony.

Just then Uncle Jasper called back that we were ready to go. We all huddled around the opening, looking at each other.

"I'll go first," Uncle Emmett finally said right before he leapt out into the air, arms and legs spread out to slow his descent.

My mother followed right behind him, angling her body to avoid colliding with his.

"Ready, Ness?" Jake asked, holding out his hand.

I nodded nervously and squeezed his palm tightly. Together we jumped.

I had never felt anything like it.

Running, leaping from tree to tree like a squirrel, exiting the house through the open windows… All of those were exhilarating. But none of them compared to the feeling of the wind rushing through my hair, whipping past my body, holding me up while letting me fall…

I looked over at Jake and saw my excitement mirrored on his face. He almost reminded me of a dog I had seen in a car on the interstate, hanging its head out the window, tongue lolling in ecstasy. I thought briefly that Aunt Rose would've appreciated my analogy.

I could see the earth rushing up to meet us, and Jake reached his hand in to pull the cord on his chest. I did the same, and we let each other go as our bodies were jerked upward as the parachutes billowed out, causing us to drift slowly downward.

I looked over at Jake again and knew that my grin was just as broad as his. Even with my enhanced sense of hearing, I couldn't hear a single sound beyond the wind rushing past my ears. I looked down toward my feet and saw trees surrounding the runway where my family was already waiting for us, shading their eyes from the sun as they watched us dropping closer and closer.

We finally touched down, our legs crumpling neatly under us as we rolled into a standing position. Without any conscious thought, I leapt into Jake's outstretched arms and wrapped myself completely around him as he spun me in circles, tangling us in the parachute cords.

He whooped his exultation, and I couldn't stop myself from joining in.

"Can we do it again?" I asked when he finally put me down so we could untangle ourselves.

"I think she likes it," Momma said drily, winking at Aunt Alice.

"Holy crow! That was a rush!" I responded. "Seriously, when can we do that again?"

Everyone laughed, and Aunt Rose decided that we had time for one more jump. I squeezed Jake's hand excitedly, and he echoed my thoughts with another whoop.

"Come here," my father called, his tone more serious than the others. "Let me show you how to pack your chute."

I watched, bouncing on my toes, as he expertly folded and stuffed the chute back into its pack and then pulled it all out again and made me do it myself. I mimicked his example while Jake did the same, and by the time the plane was fired up and ready to go again, we were seated inside, hanging onto each other's hands again, both of us excited this time.

We got back to the house in plenty of time for me to get ready for my date with Luke.

I changed into a clean pair of jeans and a T-shirt, much to Aunt Alice's dismay. When I explained that Luke had shared that jeans and a tee would be appropriate, she backed off and helped Aunt Rose fix my hair and makeup while my mother looked on, blinking her eyes rapidly from time to time. Even without Daddy's gift, I knew she was thinking something along the lines of watching her little girl growing up before her eyes.

I knew that it had bothered her at first, the speed with which I matured, going from infant to toddler before she had even seen me. And then in the intervening months before the Volturi came, I had aged even more, well into little-girlhood. It was frightening to her, the thought that I might die in only a few short years. But then we had learned the truth of half-breeds like me, and she had made her peace with my growth rate, accepting it for what it was and almost looking forward to the time when I would be a grown woman and able to live my life on nearly equal footing with the rest of the family.

But now it appeared that she was experiencing some of the normal—at least I assumed it to be—mother-of-a-teenager anxiety. For her sake, I almost wished that she were capable of tears. Perhaps it would make this easier on her if she could let her emotions loose.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by a wave of calm that stole over all of us. Momma looked toward the doorway and grimaced as Uncle Jasper shrugged and kept on walking. There were times when we all hated the way each other's gifts interfered in the natural order of our lives. But then, none of us were exactly natural, were we? I was usually grateful for the way my uncle used his gift to calm us when he thought it would help, but right then, I almost wanted my mother to be able to embrace this part of her life.

When they finally let me look in the mirror, I couldn't hold back the smile. I was beautiful—my makeup subtle but trendy, and my hair a cascade of curls pinned up on the sides—and I couldn't wait for Luke to see me. I just hoped that he didn't react too… strongly… in front of my parents. I mean, my brother and sister.

I heard a soft growl from downstairs and giggled as I rolled my eyes at my father's over-protectiveness.

"So," I said, turning from the mirror and smoothing my fitted green T-shirt over the hips of my black jeans, "is it time for presents?"

"Yes!" Aunt Alice responded immediately, taking my hand and leading me downstairs, Mother and Aunt Rose following us. Everyone met us in the living room with packages of varying sizes in their hands.

I sat on the sofa as directed by my party planner who said, "Well, I don't have a gift you can unwrap, so I'll go first." She smiled excitedly and continued, "Today's skydiving trip was part one, and on your next day off, I will take you shopping for part two."

Thanking her and giving her a hug, I reiterated how much fun I had had earlier in the day. She beamed and, back in game-show hostess mode, pointed to Uncle Emmett. He stepped forward and placed a medium-sized box in my lap.

I quickly tore the bright blue paper off to see a glossy box with a photo of a professional-looking digital camera. I clapped like a little girl and nodded eagerly when Uncle Emmett promised to teach me how to use it and take me out shooting. Before I could give him a hug, Aunt Alice motioned my mother forward.

She handed me a large package, wrapped in blue just like Uncle Emmett's gift. As I tore the paper from this second gift, it separated into twelve volumes of _The Poetical Works of Alfred, Lord Tennyson_. I gasped, holding up my hand to my mother. She pressed it to her cheek and nodded as I replayed the scene when I first read aloud to her. She had been reading me Tennyson's "The Lotus Eaters" as a bedtime story, but I hadn't fallen asleep. In fact, I had taken the book from her and read the rest of the poem to her. She had smiled at me, but I saw the tightness behind her eyes. At the time I hadn't realized that it was nervousness and fear at my too-rapid development. Now it seemed she was giving me that memory, albeit happier for her than before, in a tangible form.

I ran my hands over the spines and noticed that these were not new books. I opened one to the title page and saw the date.

"First editions?" I asked.

She nodded and smiled.

"Momma! They're fantastic!"

She smiled again and said, "I'm glad you like them, sweetheart." She squeezed my hand before stepping back to allow Grandpa to give me his gift.

It, too, was wrapped in sapphire blue, and I sensed that Aunt Alice had coordinated all the wrapping. Knowing her, she had wrapped all of the gifts herself. I tore this paper, too, and opened the white cardboard box within to reveal a little black oval with a silver lion passant in the center. Above the lion was a hand with a heart cut into the palm; under it stretched a silver chevron in base with three black trefoils cut into it. It was the Cullen Crest, passed down from Carlisle to each of his children, and now to me, his granddaughter for all intents and purposes.

"Grandpa, it's beautiful," I breathed.

He smiled back at me and said, "I hoped you'd like it. I decided it was time you have one, too. Happy Birthday, Ness."

I started to rise to give him a hug, but Aunt Alice had already nudged Aunt Rosalie forward.

She gave me a blue package of similar size, and when I opened it, I found a tiny silver heart locket. Opening the locket, I saw miniscule photos of my family: Grandpa, Grandma, and my parents on one side; my aunts and uncles on the other side.

"Thank you, Aunt Rose," I said, still staring at the tiny images of my family.

"It was mine when I was a girl," she explained.

"I will cherish it, always," I told her.

She nodded and made way for my father.

Another small package wrapped in blue revealed another small oval. This one was peach and white, with a woman holding a cup accompanied by an eagle. The detail was amazingly intricate for a piece of jewelry that was no larger than two-and-a-half inches long.

"Who is the woman?" I asked my father.

"Hebe," he replied, "Goddess of Eternal Youth."

Our grins matched, and everyone chuckled along with us.

"It belonged to my mother," he added, and I sobered at once, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. I blinked them back, not wanting to mar Aunt Alice's makeup job.

"Thank you," I whispered fervently, moved beyond words at holding a piece of jewelry that once belonged to the mortal grandmother I would never know.

Daddy leaned down quickly to place a kiss on my cheek and whispered in a slightly choked voice, "Happy birthday, Ness."

"I love you, Daddy," I whispered back, squeezing his neck before he pulled away.

Uncle Jasper was next, smirking as he handed over his gift. It was tiny like some of the others and wrapped in the same sapphire paper. I quirked an eyebrow at his expression, but he only nodded toward the package in my hands.

I made quick work of the wrapping and opened the box to find a silver sunburst pendant with a crescent moon over half of the sun's face, which was a brilliant blue stone. I picked it up out of the box to look more closely and was surprised to see it change to amber. I looked up at Uncle Jasper who chuckled as he saw the new color of the sun.

"What's so funny?" I asked, looking from him to the pendant and back again.

"That color means your emotions are mixed," he said. When I still looked puzzled, he explained, "It's a mood charm, Ness. It changes color with your moods."

And suddenly I knew why he had smirked when giving me my present. This little stone was half of his gift, the ability to sense emotions. It was just too bad it couldn't affect the emotions as quickly as it changed color.

I laughed with my family and thanked my uncle for his unusual gift.

He smiled again, handed me a little card that listed the meanings of each color, and then stepped back.

Jake, who had been standing behind the couch watching me open all of my presents, now reached over my shoulder and gave me yet another tiny blue-wrapped box. I smiled at him before tearing off the paper. This box held a tiny wooden carving of a reddish-brown wolf that appeared to be running. It was similar to the one my mother wore on a bracelet opposite the diamond heart Daddy had given her before they were engaged.

"You made this?" I asked, turning to look at him.

He nodded and said, "I had Seth send me the wood, and I carved it last week."

I looked back down at the little charm, taking in the intricate detail of the fur and the features of the face. It looked just like my best friend when we ran together.

"It's gorgeous, Jake! Thank you so much."

He wrapped his huge arms loosely around my neck and dropped a quick kiss on my curls. I patted his arm affectionately. When he let go, Grandma Esme stepped up and gave me the last gift. It was larger than most of the others, long and slender, but still wrapped in blue. Inside was a simple silver chain, a bracelet of open links.

"I used to wear it when I was a young girl," she told me. "And now I want you to have it to keep all of your charms close to you always. Happy birthday, Nessie."

"Thank you, Grandma; it's beautiful!" Setting it on the cushion beside me with all the other presents, I finally stood and made my way around the loose circle to hug each member of my family. "This is the best birthday ever," I told them. "Thank you all so much!"

When I got to my father, he held out the bracelet with each charm already attached. I smiled and lifted my arm so he could fasten it on my left wrist. Then he tensed, and so did I. I glanced down at the sun/moon charm that rested on top of my wrist. It was black. Unable to help myself, I looked at Uncle Jasper, wishing he would wrap me in his calm so the little jewel would change to blue.

We all heard the truck long before it pulled into the driveway, the rock music pouring from the stereo cutting off along with the engine.

Luke was here. And he was about to meet my parents.

"Relax, Ness," Aunt Alice said, laying a hand on my shoulder. "Everything will be fine."

"Really?" Had she seen it? Or was she just trying to calm me down?

She squeezed my shoulder and said sternly to my father, "Behave, Edward!"

_

* * *

Thanks to wuogkat for staying on me about updating this. She's relentless! (But that's a good thing…) And also thanks to EchoesOfTwilight: my Muse, my cheerleader, my phrase polisher… The list goes on. I am so blessed to have these wonderful women as my friends. :)_

_And I also have to thank KarenTwilighted (my WonderTwin) and myimmortal (dear friend) for their assistance with the birthday party & gift ideas for Nessie. You have no idea how I agonized over those details._

_Since I am participating in NaNoWriMo, it is highly unlikely that the next chapter will be up until sometime around Christmas. Please hang in there with me. I will not abandon this fic. I promise!_


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